[Iron containing nuclear inclusions in human pigmentary cirrhosis (author's transl)]

In human pigmentary cirrhosis nuclear (pseudo-)inclusions of cytoplasmic material, containing less or more degenerated and therefore faintly stained hemosiderin granules, are to be observed. But sometimes there are also finely fibrillar or granular proteinaceous materials, stainable by the Prussian-blue reaction, lying between the chromatin-strands or occupying the whole nucleus and displacing the chromatin to the nuclear envelope (margination of chromatin). Such uncoloured substances may condense into homogeneous masses and nearly hexagonal (0r related) crystals with a diameter up to 14 micron and a yellow-brownish colour, giving a strongly positive PERL's reaction. In contrast to the preceding stages intranuclear crystals of this kind have been observed in one case only. After destruction of the nuclear envelope and the marginated chromatin the crystals are lying free in the cytoplasm and later on, the cytoplasm being destroyed too, they may be ingested by von Kupffer cells. All the iron containing crystals, to be found in the cytoplasm, derive from former intranuclear inclusions. The intranuclear deposits of iron containing protein are interpreted as ferritin-aggregates. It is supposed that ferritin molecules, built up in the cytoplasm, do enter the nucleus via the pores of the nuclear envelope. Such an event not only signalizes a cytopathologic reaction but in turn may give rise to such additional cytopathologic lesions as cell shrinking and cell death.