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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 11, 2026

3D Imaging of the Liver Extracellular Matrix in a Mouse Model of Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis

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Published on: February 25, 2022

Hepatocellular ballooning in NASH.

Stephen Caldwell¹, Yoshihiro Ikura, Daniela Dias

¹GI/Hepatology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA. shc5c@virginia.edu

Journal of Hepatology

|July 14, 2010

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Hepatocellular ballooning in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is linked to fat droplet accumulation and cytoskeletal changes. This study reveals how fat droplets and organelle damage contribute to ballooning in NASH.

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Area of Science:

Hepatology
Cell Biology
Pathology

Background:

Hepatocellular ballooning is a hallmark of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).
Conventional definitions rely on H&E staining, with recent focus on cytoskeletal alterations.
Fat droplets are recognized as key organelles in cellular metabolism.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the relationship between fat droplets and hepatocellular ballooning in NASH.
To analyze fat staining, H&E, and keratin 18 in human NASH liver samples.

Main Methods:

Sequential staining (oil red O, H&E, anti-K18) and high-resolution imaging of cryo-sections.
Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) for ultrastructural correlation.
Analysis of 10 human NASH liver specimens.

Main Results:

Hepatocellular ballooning correlated with increased fat droplet accumulation (oil red O positivity).
Cytoplasmic keratin 18 depletion and Mallory-Denk bodies (MDB) were observed.
TEM confirmed fat droplets, MDB formation, cellular enlargement, and endoplasmic reticulum dilation.

Conclusions:

A significant relationship exists between hepatocellular ballooning, fat droplet accumulation, and cytoskeletal injury in NASH.
Organelle injury, including fat droplets and endoplasmic reticulum, likely contributes to ballooning in NASH.