The significance of giant mitochondria in liver biopsies as observed by light microscopy

One hundred forty-three liver biopsy specimens were evaluated by light microscopy for giant mitochondria (GM), and were correlated with a variety of histological and clinical parameters. GM were found in 57% of the biopsy specimens. In alcoholic liver diseases, GM are mostly round in shape, are centrilobular in distribution, and frequently coexist with Mallory bodies. The frequency of hepatocytes containing GM in alcoholic liver disease is the highest of all groups. In nonalcoholic liver diseases, GM are round or needle-shaped, distributed randomly or in the periphery of the hepatic lobules, and the frequency of hepatocytes containing GM is less than that in alcoholic liver disease. These features are useful in separating alcoholic from nonalcoholic liver diseases. While GM appear to represent early hepatocellular injury, certain factors appear to influence GM formation in nonalcoholic liver diseases, including high alcohol consumption in both alcoholic and nonalcoholic liver diseases, fatty change, under-nutrition or abnormal nutrition, and upper gastrointestinal tract disorders.