This Article Order Full text via Infotrieve Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by De Vos, R. Articles by Desmet, V. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by De Vos, R. Articles by Desmet, V.

American Journal of Pathology, Vol 140, 1441-1450, Copyright © 1992 by American Society for Investigative Pathology

REGULAR ARTICLES

Ultrastructural characteristics of novel epithelial cell types identified in human pathologic liver specimens with chronic ductular reaction

R De Vos and V Desmet
Department of Pathology, Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium.

Previous immunohistochemical studies on human liver biopsies with chronic ductular reaction revealed the presence of "small cells" with bile-duct type cytokeratin profile in the periportal area. This study identified similar cells by electron microscopy. The authors studied 13 human liver specimens with various liver diseases, but all characterized by chronic ductular reaction. In all specimens, variable numbers of "small cells" with common epithelial characteristics were identified in the periportal area. They could be classified into three types. Type I cells showed an oval cell shape and oval nucleus, early or established formation of junctional complexes with adjacent cells, a full assortment of cytoplasmic organelles, and bundles of tonofilaments. Type II cells showed features of bile-duct cell differentiation, including lateral interdigitations, apical microvilli, basal pinocytotic vacuoles, and basement membrane formation. In contrast, type III cells displayed additional features indicating hepatocellular differentiation, such as a more prominent nucleus, formation of a hemicanaliculus, and glycogen rosettes. It is concluded that these small cells of epithelial nature display variable differentiation characteristics of either bile-duct type cells or hepatocytes. These findings support the existence of bipotential progenitor epithelial cells in human liver. They may have implications for liver regeneration and carcinogenesis.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				S. Sell and H. L. Leffert Liver Cancer Stem Cells J. Clin. Oncol., June 10, 2008; 26(17): 2800 - 2805. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. S. am Esch II, W. T. Knoefel, M. Klein, A. Ghodsizad, G. Fuerst, L. W. Poll, C. Piechaczek, E. R. Burchardt, N. Feifel, V. Stoldt, et al. Portal Application of Autologous CD133+ Bone Marrow Cells to the Liver: A Novel Concept to Support Hepatic Regeneration Stem Cells, April 1, 2005; 23(4): 463 - 470. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. Roskams, S. Q. Yang, A. Koteish, A. Durnez, R. DeVos, X. Huang, R. Achten, C. Verslype, and A. M. Diehl Oxidative Stress and Oval Cell Accumulation in Mice and Humans with Alcoholic and Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Am. J. Pathol., October 1, 2003; 163(4): 1301 - 1311. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. C. Bisgaard, U. Holmskov, E. Santoni-Rugiu, P. Nagy, O. Nielsen, P. Ott, E. Hage, K. Dalhoff, L. J. Rasmussen, and N. Tygstrup Heterogeneity of Ductular Reactions in Adult Rat and Human Liver Revealed by Novel Expression of Deleted in Malignant Brain Tumor 1 Am. J. Pathol., October 1, 2002; 161(4): 1187 - 1198. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. Cassiman, L. Libbrecht, N. Sinelli, V. Desmet, C. Denef, and T. Roskams The Vagal Nerve Stimulates Activation of the Hepatic Progenitor Cell Compartment via Muscarinic Acetylcholine Receptor Type 3 Am. J. Pathol., August 1, 2002; 161(2): 521 - 530. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A J STRAIN and H A CROSBY Hepatic stem cells Gut, June 1, 2000; 46(6): 743 - 745. [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Sell Electron Microscopic Identification of Putative Liver Stem Cells and Intermediate Hepatocytes following Periportal Necrosis Induced in Rats by Allyl Alcohol Stem Cells, September 1, 1997; 15(5): 378 - 385. [Abstract] [Full Text]