An Ultrastructural Study of Peroxidatic and Phagocytic Activities of Two Types of Sinusoidal Lining Cells in Rat Liver

Abstract

-269 -Endogenous peroxidatic and phagocytic activities were studied on the sinusoidal lining cells in the perfusion fixed rat liver under normal and reticuloendothelial system (RES) stimulated conditions. All cells with cytostructural characteristics of the Kupffer cell showed endogenous peroxidase activity in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and perinuclear cisternae, while the endothelial cells were always negative in peroxidase reaction. When colloidal carbon or zymosan were given intravenously, Kupffer cells exhibited stickiness of their cell surfaces against these particles and avid phagocytic activity with the extension of pseudopods, but endothelial cells did not show any stickiness and incorporated carbon particles only a very small amount. These findings were obtained not only under the normal condi tion but also RES stimulated condition, and, on the basis of peroxidase reaction and phagocytic activity, no intermediate type of cells between the Kupffer cell and endothelial cell was found. Four days after RES stimulation by the admini stration of estradiol or typhoid vaccine, the relative number of Kupffer cells to parenchymal cells increased about two-fold, but that of endothelial cells did not change significantly. The results presented in this article did not support the hypothesis that the endothelial cell might be a precursor of the Kupffer cell, but suggested that each of them might be the distinct line of cell. Kupffer cell; endothelial cell; peroxidase; phagocytosis It has long been a subject of controversy whether the cells constituting the sinusoidal wall of the liver are of a single line, or of two or more types of cells. Recent ultrastructural studies demonstrated that at least two morphologically dis tinct types of cells, i.e. the Kupffer and endothelial cells, are present on the sinu soidal wall (Yamagishi 1959; Aterman 1963;Rouiller and Jezequel 1963;Tanikawa et al. 1965; Burkel and Low 1966; Imai et al. 1967; Nicolescu and Rouiller 1967;Takeuchi et al. 1967; Bloom and Fawcett 1968; Ito and Shibasaki 1968; Carr 1970;Staut 1970; Wisse and Deams 1970 a, b;Widmann et al. 1972;Wisse 1970Wisse , 1972. In our previous study, the endothelial cell was smooth in outline with thinly attenuated cytoplasmic processes having many regularly sized pores. This type of cell usually formed the large part of the sinusoidal wall. On the other hand, the Kupffer cell was rich in lysosomes. The cytoplasm

Sustained telomere length in hepatocytes and cholangiocytes with increasing age in normal liver

“…Additionally, both studies analyzed telomeres in whole liver homogenates and assumed that findings were representative of hepatocytes. This assumption is flawed, however, because only 64% of cells in liver tissue are hepatocytes,27 and in our study there was no correlation between whole liver telomere length measured by real‐time PCR and hepatocyte telomere length assessed by Q‐FISH. This and the utilization of archived paraffin‐embedded material emphasizes the advantages of Q‐FISH.…”

“…These were limited by small sample size, limited age range, and the use of tissue derived from individuals with an increased risk of senescence. Furthermore, only 64% of cells in liver tissue are hepatocytes,27 hence analysis of telomere length in whole liver homogenates is unlikely to reflect hepatocyte telomere length. The effect of aging on other intrahepatic lineages is unknown.…”

Fine structure and function of kupffer cells

“…The morphology of mammalian Kupffer cells, including those in humans, has been described and reviewed by numerous authors (Aterman, 1977;Fahimi, 1970;Fraser et al, 1986;Gendrault et al, 1988;Grisham et al, 1976;Jones and Summerfield, 1982;Motta, 1975Motta, , 1984Ogawa et al, 1973;Tamaru and Fujita, 1978;Wake et al, 1989;Widman et al, 1972;Wisse, 1974aWisse, ,b, 1977Wisse and Knook, 1979). Kupffer cells are macrophages that constitute one of the cellular components of hepatic sinusoids.…”

“…6). While this is a specific marker for Kupffer cells in the rat liver (Fahimi, 1970;Ogawa et al, 1973;Widman et al, 1972;Wisse, 1974a), it is not as useful1 in other species due to similar positivity in large numbers of endothelial cells (Stohr et al, 1978;Zafrani et al, 1982). Recently, monoclonal antibodies also have been used to identify macrophages and Kupffer cells (Bodenheimer et al, 1988;Krug et al, 1986;Malorny et al, 1986;Nijweide et al, 1985;Ramadori et al, 1986;Tanuma, 1978;Wacher et al, 1986).…”

The ultrastructure of the liver of the rainbow trout: normal structure and modifications after chronic administration of a polychlorinated biphenyl Aroclor 1254

“…and lipid accumulation have been seen in two 3Generously supplied by Monsanto Canada Ltd., species of fish exposed to PCB's (13,37). in lysosomes, that had many cytoplasmic projections, or whose cytoplasm was protuberant into the sinusoidal lumen, criteria described by Ogawa et al (40) for the identification of Kupffer cells. The thin cytoplasmic processes lin'ing the sinusoid were fenestrated and overlapped at their contact with adjacent cells.…”