A morphometric analysis of the hypertrophy of experimental liver cirrhosis

Abstract

The objective of this study was to better elucidate the composition of the hypertrophic cirrhotic liver. We induced cirrhosis with hypertrophy in rats by simultaneous treatment with CCl4 and phenobarbital (PB) and devised a hierarchy of structure applicable to the sampling and morphometric analysis of untreated and PB-treated control livers and of cirrhotic livers. Our analysis demonstrated that the hepatomegaly attributable to cirrhosis is virtually the total result of an increase in the specific volume (ml/100 g body weight) of the non-parenchyma, most of which is connective tissue and vascular lumen volume. Inconsequential to the hepatomegaly but statistically significant were the volumetric increases found in the following parenchymal compartments: hepatocyte nucleus, Kupffer/endothelial cell nucleus, Ito cell nucleus and cytoplasm, and bile canaliculus. The change in the hepatocyte nucleus is the result of an increase in size rather than in number. Sinusoidal space is the only compartment that showed a significant decrease. This study shows the practicality and usefulness of applying morphometric methods to cirrhotic liver.

Hepatic microcirculation in the perfused cirrhotic rat liver.

“…However, such a stereotyped alteration ofhepatic sinusoids should have been easily demonstrated by light and electron microscopic studies. In the biopsy specimens examined from all cirrhotic rat livers, we found vascular changes similar to those previously reported in this model (21,22) and, in particular, (a) most of the hepatic sinusoids remained structurally unaltered, the space of Disse being widened with extensive collagen disposition, and (b) occasional capillarized channels were found in some thin fibrotic bands dissecting the parenchymal nodules as well in the internodular fibrotic septa. These vascular channels were similar in diameter to more normal sinusoids.…”

“…Our data are not at variance with the ultrastructural morphometric analysis ofrat livers with CCl4-induced cirrhosis published recently (22), in which liver hypertrophy was attributed mainly to an increase in connective tissue with an increased quantity of blood vessels in the septa. In the present study, the increased to measured in cirrhotic rats (Table II) also indicates an increase in large vessel volume when compared with noncirrhotic rats.…”

“…In the present study, the increased to measured in cirrhotic rats (Table II) also indicates an increase in large vessel volume when compared with noncirrhotic rats. The sinusoidal space was also found to be significantly decreased (22).…”

Effect of colchiceine and ursodeoxycholic acid on hepatocyte and erythrocyte membranes and liver histology in experimentally induced carbon tetrachloride cirrhosis in rats

“…Liver tissue was sampled from the left lobe under the assumption that it was representative of the whole liver [26]. Two sections were obtained from each liver, fixed in 10% formalin, embedded in paraffin, stained with haematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and evaluated by one of us (S.S.) without knowledge of the animal treatment.…”

Regeneração hepática induzida por ressecção segmentar do fígado, em rato

“…No presente trabalho, encontraram as figuras mitóticas nessas duas regiões. De acordo com outros trabalhos, a distribuição da hiperplasia é influenciada pela irrigação sangüínea e pode ser revertida se for alterado o sentido desse fluxo 5,8,21,23 . A utilização do fio de categute, rapidamente absorvível, nas suturas hepáticas visou a reduzir a influência que o material do fio pudesse ter sobre o fí-gado.…”