A morphometric analysis of the hypertrophy of experimental liver cirrhosis

The objective of this study was to better elucidate the composition of the hypertrophic cirrhotic liver. We induced cirrhosis with hypertrophy in rats by simultaneous treatment with CCl4 and phenobarbital (PB) and devised a hierarchy of structure applicable to the sampling and morphometric analysis of untreated and PB-treated control livers and of cirrhotic livers. Our analysis demonstrated that the hepatomegaly attributable to cirrhosis is virtually the total result of an increase in the specific volume (ml/100 g body weight) of the non-parenchyma, most of which is connective tissue and vascular lumen volume. Inconsequential to the hepatomegaly but statistically significant were the volumetric increases found in the following parenchymal compartments: hepatocyte nucleus, Kupffer/endothelial cell nucleus, Ito cell nucleus and cytoplasm, and bile canaliculus. The change in the hepatocyte nucleus is the result of an increase in size rather than in number. Sinusoidal space is the only compartment that showed a significant decrease. This study shows the practicality and usefulness of applying morphometric methods to cirrhotic liver.