A Stereological and Biochemical Study of the Human Liver in Uncomplicated Cholelithiasis
- 1 January 1978
- journal article
- research article
- Published by S. Karger AG in Digestion
- Vol. 18 (3-4), 162-177
- https://doi.org/10.1159/000198199
Abstract
A quantitative analysis of needle liver biopsies of patients with untreated, uncomplicated cholelithiasis has been performed to better evaluate eventual changes occurring under medical therapy of gallstones. With the light microscope, the intensity of parenchymal steatosis was variable among the patients but the mean volume density of lipid droplets was significantly increased as compared to normal subjects. In addition, there was a significant increase in the volume density of lipocytes (fat-storing cells) without an increase in the number per square area, suggesting a hypertrophy of individual cells. The data obtained by ultrastructural morphometry show a significant increase in the surface density of the rough endoplasmic reticulum in the hepatocytes, a significant increase of the mitochondrial volume density together with the presence of curled mitochondrial cristae and a slight, inconstant intracellular and intracanalicular bile retention. No qualitative or quantitative changes were observed at the level of the smooth endoplasmic reticulum. The activity of the microsomal enzyme NADPH-cytochrome c reductase as evaluated on liver biopsy material was in the normal range. Some of the features observed in this group of patients are reminiscent of alterations previously described in human or experimental cholestasis and suggest that they might depend on a common underlying disturbance in cholesterol and bile salt metabolism.Keywords
This publication has 8 references indexed in Scilit:
- Effect of gallstone-dissolution therapy on human liver structureDigestive Diseases and Sciences, 1977
- Distribution of organelles and membranes between hepatocytes and nonhepatocytes in the rat liver parenchyma. A stereological study.The Journal of cell biology, 1977
- Unusual residual bodies in human liver cellsJournal of Ultrastructure Research, 1976
- Hepatic Morphology and Bile Acid Composition of Bile and Urine during Chenodeoxycholic Acid Therapy for Radiolucent GallstonesScandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology, 1976
- PRACTICAL STEREOLOGICAL METHODS FOR MORPHOMETRIC CYTOLOGYThe Journal of cell biology, 1966
- MORPHOLOGIC CHANGES IN HAMSTER LIVER DURING INTRAHEPATIC CHOLESTASIS INDUCED BY TAUROLITHOCHOLATE1966
- FAT-STORING CELLS (LIPOCYTES) IN HUMAN LIVER1966
- EXPERIMENTAL EXTRAHEPATIC BILIARY OBSTRUCTION - FINE STRUCTURAL CHANGES OFLIVER CELL MITOCHONDRIA1962