Deformed liver with prominent proliferation of bile ducts in a pig

A deformed liver characterized by remarkable ductular proliferation was encountered in a 6-month-old pig and examined histopathologically. The most conspicuous histopathologic change was a mild to severe ductular proliferation in the interlobular areas without any degenerative changes of cholangiolar epithelial cells or hepatocytes. Fibrotic changes and reconstruction of the lobule were not found. Morphological evidence of intrahepatic and extrahepatic cholestasis was lacking. Other characteristics were deformity with displacement of the gall bladder, irregular shape and size of lobules, and structural abnormality of large-sized vessels. The severe ductular proliferation was considered to be due to structural malformations of the excretion channel of bile.