title: Morphology of hepatic stellate cells in patients with fulminant or subfulminant hepatitis requiring liver transplantation.
abstract: Hepatic stellate cells were studied by immuno-cytochemistry with anti smooth muscle alpha-actin antibody (an activation marker for these cells) and electron microscopy, in eleven patients transplanted for fulminant or subfulminant hepatitis. Numerous smooth muscle alpha-actin positive cells were found in necrotic areas. In both fulminant and subfulminant hepatitis, hepatic stellate cells appeared enlarged, often irregular, with spikes. There were numerous signs of activation and many contained numerous small lipid droplets. In the cases of fulminant hepatitis, hepatic stellate cells presented, at times, some subcellular damage. Hepatic stellate cells processes, often in several layers, displayed numerous cytoplasmic microfilaments with conspicuous dense plaques below the plasma membrane. Hepatic stellate cells were never surrounded by a basement membrane. The extracellular matrix was loose and granulofibrillar. In areas of multiacinar nodules (in cases of map-like pattern), hepatic stellate cells were grossly normal. These results are in agreement with in vitro data showing that acutely damaged hepatocytes activate hepatic stellate cells but do not fully transform them into myofibroblasts.
authors.affiliation: Liver Transplantation Unit, University of Bordeaux II, France.
authors.forename: P H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Bernard
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Le Bail
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Carles
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fawaz
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Balabaud
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rosenbaum
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bioulac-Sage
mesh_terms: D000082:Acetaminophen / Q000009:adverse effects; D000199:Actins / Q000032:analysis; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000545:Amanita; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D015415:Biomarkers; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006501:Hepatic Encephalopathy / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D006505:Hepatitis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000009:adverse effects; D008055:Lipids / Q000032:analysis; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology*; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000473:pathology; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008875:Middle Aged; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000737:chemistry; D009145:Mushroom Poisoning / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D009336:Necrosis; D015388:Organelles / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure; D011725:Pyridines / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D015415:Biomarkers; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins; D007093:Imidazoles; D008055:Lipids; D011725:Pyridines; D000082:Acetaminophen; C052036:alpidem