[The karyogram of normal and of fatty livers in man (author's transl)]

The karyomgrams of normal human livers (50 biopsides from patients of varied age) and of fatty livers (350 biopsies from patients with diabetes, alcoholism, and fatty cirrhosis) were investigated. The nuclear diameters were measured with an analyzer of particle size--the "TGZ-3 Zeiss"--, the cut surface of the nuclei was determined and the nuclei categorized accordingly. 1. The normal liver in each age group is characterized by a well-defined nuclear pattern that is specific for this organ. In the 3rd decade nuclei of the main class predominate. In later decades 2 classes of large nuclei gradually appear and reach their mximum after the 50th year. In the 7th decade a reduction of the cut nuclear surface takes place in all the categoreis, presumably determined by a reduction of function. 2. The increase in the number of large nuclei is explained by abortive karyokineses which in the course of the normal turnover of cells ("Zellmauserung"), increasingly replace normal mitoses. This is This is attributed to disturbances of the achromatic apparatus that occur with increasing age. 3. Alcoholic, and even more so diabetic, fatty change leads to the formation of particularly large nuclei. This appears to depend on the volume of the individual fat droplet within the individual cell rather than on the degree of fatty change of the whole liver. 4...