Eosinophilic granulopoiesis in human fetal liver

Eosinophilic granulopoiesis was investigated in human fetal liver during intrauterine life from 5 to 34 weeks of gestation. Eosinophilic granulocytes were observable for the first time at 5 weeks in the hepatic laminae and were frequently found in the late embryonic period around the large vessels and in the mesenchyme adjacent to the liver. Eosinophilic granulopoiesis increased gradually in the hepatic laminae (P < 0.01) after 20 weeks of gestation and in the portal areas (P < 0.05) after 16 weeks of gestation. The proportions of each cellular differentiation stage were relatively constant during fetal life, but a greater number of mature eosinophils were observed in the portal areas. Eosinophilic granulopoiesis was evident in all the hepatic tissue components, but developed more actively in portal areas than in hepatic laminae during intrauterine life. Eosinophilic granulopoiesis preceded both erythropoiesis and megakaryopoiesis in the human embryonic liver. Although the latter two occurred mainly in the hepatic laminae, eosinophilic granulopoiesis developed more actively in the portal areas, where it exhibited increasing activity along with the development of the component cells.