Receptor for the Fc portion of IgG on the plasma membrane of the hepatocyte.

Applying the immune rosette assay to suspensions of isolated liver cells, 30 to 50 % of hepatocytes obtained from rabbit liver from rosettes with sheep erythrocytes sensitized with IgG. Rosette formation can be inhibited by preincubation of the hepatocytes with aggregated IgG. The interaction between hepatocytes and IgG is not species-specific. Pretreatment of hepatocytes with F(ab')2 fragments of antibody with anti-IgG activity does not interfer with rosette formation. No binding occurs with erythrocytes coated with F(ab')2 fragments, IgM or IgM + complement. These membrane receptors for Fc gamma share many properties with those recognized on macrophagic cells and B lymphocytes; it seems however that on liver cell surface their density and/or their affinity for IgG are inferior to those of mesodermderived cells.