Orcein positive hepatocellular material in the liver. With special reference to its relationship with human...

Histopathological relationship between orcein positive hepatocellular material (ophm) reported by Sipponen and human lipofuscin (hlp) was investigated. Ophm was found to be very similar to hlp of the liver as well as of heart muscle cell morphologically and histochemically, and it seems to be quite rational to consider that ophm may be a substance which belongs to the lysosome series comprising hlp and prelipofuscin. Ophm has been discussed often from a view point of copper contents, which was considered to be one of its specific characters, but it has become clear that hlp can also possess copper according to our investigation and to some reports of other researchers. This fact throws a doubt on the significance of the specific relation between ophm and copper, as well as the usability of orcein stain for detecting copper in histological specimens. Victoria blue stain is quite useful for the detection of hlp including ophm, since it gives a blue color for it with a good contrast against red colored cytoplasm and nucleus. However, this can not be considered as a method for specific stain of copper either.