title: Ultrastructure of alcoholic hyaline filaments in alcoholic hepatitis.
abstract: Ultrastructure of alcoholic hyaline (AH) in alcoholic hepatitis was observed to demonstrate the relationship between AH filaments and intermediate filaments (IFs). Type 1, Type 2 and Type 3 AH were noted in hepatocytes, and the filaments in these types of AH showed similar ultrastructural findings as already reported. Two different kinds of filaments were noted in the Type 2 AH. The large on showed 160 to 200 A in a diameter and the small one showed around 100 A in diameter. Of the 29 cases with alcoholic hepatitis, a new type of AH was noted in the rosette forming hepatocytes in 2 cases of alcoholic hepatitis. The filaments of this AH in rosette forming hepatocytes showed 40 to 60 A in diameter and shorter length compared with Type 2 AH. These filaments with 40 to 60 A diameter were quite different from IFs. Our results indicate that AH in alcoholic hepatitis is not induced by the simple accumulation of the IFs.
mesh_terms: D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D006519:Hepatitis, Alcoholic / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D012397:Rosette Formation