[Finding and significance of copper protein complexes in liver cirrhoses (author's transl)]

302 liver cirrhoses obtained from the post-mortem material 1970 to 1979 have been examined for the occurrence of the cuprous protein complexes by means of the orcein-staining according to Shikata. The part of the B-posthepatic cirrhoses (89%) could be simultaneously determined with the help of this method. Cuprous protein complexes have been found in bilious (100%), alcoholic (43.9%), etiologically uncertain (34.4%), and B-posthepatic (25,9%) liver cirrhoses. They prove an existing or experienced chronic cholestasis. The demonstration of copper has no principal significance for the etiologic classification of cirrhoses. In the bioptic diagnostics the demonstration of copper has a certain significance for the differentiation of the primary destructive cholangitis from chronically active hepatites of other genesis. The investigations incidentally revealed that HBsAg-containing hepatocytes could be identified by means of orcein in sections performed on archive material after destaining independent of the age of the sections and their primary staining.