Table 1.

Prevalent action of some adipokines related to liver diseases and/or regeneration.

Role	Name	Prevalent Described Action
Inflammation	Chemerin	Mediates inflammatory responses, serving as a chemo attractant to induce influx of macrophages and natural killer cells [12]
	IL-6	Regulator of both the immune and the nervous system as well in liver regeneration [13]
	Omentin	Inhibitor of vascular endothelial cells inflammation. Related to heart vasculature disease and insulin sensitivity [14]
	PAI-1	Interacts with vascular cells. It has been related with angiogenesis and pro-inflammatory cytokines. Widely associated with insulin resistance and impaired immune response [15]
	Resistin	Involved in the pathogenesis of obesity, adipogenesis and insulin metabolism [16]
	TGF-β	Essential in establishing immunological tolerance. Pro-inflammatory roles in inflammatory responses [17]
	TNFα	As pro-inflammatory cytokine is involved in the development of many inflammatory diseases. “Master-regulator” of inflammatory [18] cytokines. Regulation of critical cell functions including cell proliferation, survival, differentiation, and apoptosis [10,18]
Metabolic control	Adiponectin	Involved in the pathogenesis of diabetes mellitus, obesity, hypertension, renal failure and atherosclerosis [19]
	Apelin	Takes part in the regulation of the physiology and pathophysiology of the circulatory system. Regulator of the metabolic balance, inflammation as well as cell proliferation and apoptosis [20]
	Leptin	Between other functions, regulates angiogenesis, hematopoiesis, carcinogenesis, satiety, energy expenditure and the immune system [21]
	Lipocalin	LCN2 in mainly produced by hepatocytes under acute-phase conditions. Considerable increased under stressed conditions like bacterial infection, surgical procedures or metabolic stress, plays an important role in suppressing bacterial infection by binding to bacterial catecholate-type ferric siderophores and consequent suppression of bacterial growth through the sequester of iron-laden siderophores [22]. LCN2 acts as immunomodulator and inhibitor of differentiation of erythroid progenitor cells and promotes apoptosis [23]
Metabolic control	RBP4	Retinol transportation in the circulation [24]
	Vaspin	Potential insulin-sensitizing effects [25]. Related with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease [26]
	Vifastin	Control of energy balance and insulin sensitivity. Regulates lipid metabolism and fatty acid oxidation [27]
Regeneration	Angiotensinogen	It is implied in the development of liver cirrhosis, portal hypertension, angiogenesis and apoptosis [28]
	Dlk-1	Adipogenesis, osteogenesis. Neuronal and neuroendocrine differentiation [29]
	HB-EGF	The soluble form induces mitogenic and regenerative activities [3]
	HGF	Proliferation, morphogenesis and anti-apoptosis [31]
	IGF	Both prenatal and postnatal development, including cell growth, differentiation, migration, and survival [32]
	NGF	Stimulation of growth, differentiation, survival and maintenance of neurons [33]
	VEGF	Regulator of angiogenesis also promotes collateral vessel growth [34]

IL-6: interleukin 6; TNF-α: tumor necrosis factor alpha; LCN: lipocalin; RBP4: retinol-binding protein 4; HB-EGF: heparin-binding epidermal growth factor; VEGF: vascular endothelial growth factor; TGF-β: tumor growth factor-β; PAI-1: phosphoribosylanthranilate isomerase 1; DKL-1: delta like-1 homologue; IGF: insulin growth factor; NGF: nerve growth factor; HGF: hepatocyte growth factor.