TNF and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis: Furthermore, hepatic CD68-expressing macrophages, which include Kupffer cells (liver-resident macrophages) and bone marrow-derived (recruited) macrophages, play essential roles in hepatic inflammation and fibrosis related to NASH due to their secretion of pro-inflammatory or profibrotic cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and TGF-β [9].