Morphological Change of Fat-Storing Cells in Experimental Liver Congestion in Rats

Masamitsu Adachi, Keiichi lchihara, Makoto Motoi, Hideo Akiyoshi, Yukisato Kitamura and Masako Katoh

Second Department of Patholology, Faculty of Medicine, Tottori University, Yonago 683, Japan

Few reports have described the ultrastructural changes of chronic passive congestion of the liver. Therefore, the cellular mechanism of fibrogenesis in the congestive liver has remained unknown. We prepared hepatic congestion in rats by partial obstruction of the inferior vena cava, and monitored the subsequent fibrosis. Within 24 h of congestion, focal necrosis appeared at centrilobular areas with inflammatory cellular infiltrations. After 48 h congestion, the transformed fat-storing cells proliferated in necrotic areas. Fibrous tissue plaques formed at these necrotic sites after 7 days congestion. It appeared that transformed fat-storing cells proliferated in Disse's spaces without necrosis of hepatocytes and cellular infiltrations around the plaques. Finally, cllagen bundles developed in Disse's spaces and the centrilobular fibrosis enlarged with collagen bundles joining together to form bridging flbrosis. We conclude that the fat-storing cell has great potential for fibrogenesis in the congestive liver.

Key words: collagen; fat-storing cell;liver congestion; Iiver fibrosis

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