ABSTRACT
The importance of the liver in the maintenance of homeostasis with regard to the fibrinolytic and coagulation systems is evidenced by the large volume of literature available on the subject. Such literature falls into one of several categories, which include the following: (1) the normal function of the liver in the clearance of proteinase-proteinase inhibitor complexes; (2) the liver as a source of proteinase inhibitors; (3) the response of the liver to acute inflammatory stimuli mediated by cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-1, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF); (4) alterations in liver function in response to systemic diseases such as diabetes and others; (5) the impact of liver disease on the function of the coagulation-fibrinolysis system in the vasculature and other organs; and (6) various combinations of the above. It is obvious that a chapter reviewing the whole field would be beyond the scope of this book. Therefore, I have chosen to touch on a number of these interrelated areas, but to focus on only some of them.
