The role of the liver in the clearance of IgG immune complexes from the circulation

In 1980 Thornburg and Baynes demonstrated the involvement of the galactose receptor in the clearance of IgG immune complexes (ICx) from the circulation by uptake of radiolabeled antigen in immunized and non-immunized rats. To confirm this hypothesis the authors used the immunoperoxidase method to show the localization pattern in the liver of either heterologous or autologous IgG ICx in the presence of a competing asialoglycoproteine (asialofetuine). Results indicate that the size of the complexes and consequently their solubility is the decisive factor in determining by what cells of the liver they are taken up. Possibly the involvement components to diminish the size of Icx is responsible for the time lack of 5' between binding of ICx to endothelial cells and hepatocytes.