Effect of bile duct ligation on the ultrastructural morphology of hepatocytes

The effect of severe cholestasis produced by bile duct ligation on surface membrane ultrastructure was compared to control. Isolated well preserved hepatocytes were prepared by boric acid dissociation and examined under the scanning electron microscope. Normal sinusoidal, intratrabecular, and canalicular surface membrane topography is described. In particular the bile canalicular microvilli were observed to be derived from two locations: a "marginal ridge" whose microvilli are unaltered after bile duct obstruction, and the bile canalicular surface whose microvilli are lost in obstruction and primarily account for the appearance previously described by transmission electron microscopy. Thus, newer techniques in tissue preparation and scanning electron microscopy demonstrate that bile canalicular microvilli are derived from two anatomical sites and respond differently to bile duct ligation.