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[Ultrastructural morphometric studies of fat storing cells in human chronic viral hepatitis]
1Electron Microscopy Laboratory, Chongqing University of Medical Sciences, Chongqing 400046.
Objective:
To study the dynamic changes of fat storing cells (FSC) in human chronic viral hepatitis.
Methods:
Liver biopsies from 5 chronic persistent hepatitis (CPH), 5 mild chronic active hepatitis (CAH), 6 moderate CAH, 5 severe CAH cases and 8 normal liver tissues were used to investigate the number, appearance and organellae of FSC in non-fibrotic areas by cell counting under light microscope with semi-thick sections and morphometric study under electron microscope.
Results:
The number of FSC in non-fibrotic areas of CAH groups were decreased significantly compared with the normal group and CPH group; the percentages of transitional cells tended to increase along with the increase in degree of severity of liver fibrosis, some of the FSC were transformed into fibroblasts.
Conclusions:
During the progress of liver fibrosis caused by CAH, FSC were constantly transformed into fibroblasts which tended to migrate to the fibrous septum of the hepatic lobules.