# Neutrophil and macrophage zonation in liver disease: from spatiotemporal dynamics to advanced computational analysis

## TL;DR

This review explores how neutrophils and macrophages are spatially organized in the liver during disease and how this affects inflammation and tissue repair.

## Contribution

The paper consolidates current understanding of immune cell zonation in liver disease and highlights emerging technologies for precision hepatology.

## Key findings

- Neutrophils accumulate in necrotic or pericentral zones of the liver during disease.
- Macrophage subsets show diverse zonal identities and plasticity, influencing inflammation and tissue repair.
- New technologies like single-cell omics and intravital imaging are improving insights into immune cell dynamics in the liver.

## Abstract

Liver disease progression is profoundly shaped by the spatial and temporal dynamics of innate immune cells, particularly neutrophils and macrophages. Recent advances in single-cell and spatial omics, intravital imaging, and multiplexed histology have revealed how these cells exhibit distinct zonation patterns along the portal-central axis and undergo dynamic reprogramming in response to injury, infection, and metabolic stress. Neutrophils preferentially accumulate in necrotic or pericentral zones, whereas macrophage subsets adopt diverse zonal identities and display remarkable plasticity, collectively orchestrating inflammation and tissue repair. In this review, we consolidate current knowledge on neutrophil and macrophage zonation in liver disease, emphasizing their roles in shaping pathophysiology and clinical outcomes. We also briefly outline how emerging technologies are refining our understanding of immune microanatomy and may pave the way for precision hepatology.