Appearance of alpha-smooth-muscle-actin-positive cells in hepatic fibrosis.
The appearance of alpha-smooth-muscle-actin (alpha-smA)-positive cells during hepatic fibrosis was studied immunohistochemically in rat and human livers. In the normal rat liver, alpha-smA was observed only in vascular smooth muscle cells. With the progression of fibrosis induced by CCl4 injection, alpha-smA-positive cells appeared in the perisinusoidal space and the fibrous septa, and ultimately surrounded regenerative nodules. An increase of desmin-positive cells was recognized in the fibrotic areas and the perisinusoidal area. In the human liver, alpha-smA-positive cells appeared in the fibrotic area, whereas no desmin-positive cells were observed, except in vascular walls of the central vein and the portal tract, alpha-smA is a good marker for the detection of myofibroblast-like cells, and the appearance of alpha-smA in liver mesenchymal cells seems closely related to the process of hepatic fibrosis in both rat and man.
Nouchi
T
T
Second Department of Internal Medicine, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Japan.
Tanaka
Y
Y
Tsukada
T
T
Sato
C
C
Marumo
F
F
D000199:Actins / Q000032:analysis*; D000818:Animals; D002252:Carbon Tetrachloride Poisoning / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology*; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000473:pathology*; D008106:Liver Cirrhosis, Experimental / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
D000199:Actins