Sublobular differences in hepatic microtubular changes of alcoholic liver disease: morphometrical analysis

To clarify the cause of predominant hepatocytic changes in the centrolobular area of livers with alcoholic liver injuries, changes in hepatic microtubules at different sublobular areas of liver with alcoholic liver disease were analyzed by ultrastructural morphometry. Hepatocytic volumes in both the centrolobular and periportal areas of livers with alcoholic liver disease were significantly larger than those in the corresponding areas of livers with non-alcoholic liver disease, respectively. The volume of hepatocytes was significantly larger in the centrolobular area than in the periportal area in both alcoholic and non-alcoholic liver diseases. However, the degree of hepatocytic enlargement in the centrolobular area was more prominent for alcoholic liver disease than for non-alcoholic liver disease. The mean volumes of microtubules, expressed per single hepatocyte, in both areas of alcoholic liver disease were significantly lower than those in the corresponding areas of non-alcoholic liver disease, respectively. In alcoholic liver disease, the microtubular volume was significantly lower in the centrolobular area than in the periportal area. However, no such difference was observed in non-alcoholic liver disease. These results indicated that a decrease in microtubules of the centrolobular area might play an important role in the development of hepatocytic changes in the centrolobular area of livers with an alcoholic liver disease.