Ultrastructure of in situ perfusion-fixed avian liver, with special reference to structure of the sinusoids.
Broiler chicken and laying hen livers were fixed using a simple technique of in situ puncture perfusion of cacodylate-buffered fixative, which allowed characterisation of the fine structure of hepatic parenchyma, hepatocytes, bile ductules, and, in particular, the sinusoidal cells including endothelial, Kupffer, and Ito cells. Sinusoidal endothelial cells with their bulging perinuclear cytoplasm, evident in both transmission and scanning electron micrographs, were easily distinguishable from Kupffer cells, which possessed numerous pseudopodia. Bile ductular epithelium and hepatocytes of the laying hens contained large amounts of lipid. The ultrastructural characteristics of intercalated cells (putative extra-sinusoidal macrophages of chicken liver) are described and their possible role as precursors of Kupffer cells is discussed.
Ghoddusi
Majid
M
Division of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Science & Animal Production, The University of Queensland, QLD 4072 Australia. mghoddusi@cmri.usyd.edu.au
Kelly
W Roger
WR
D000818:Animals; D002645:Chickens; D004727:Endothelium / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008099:Liver / Q000166:cytology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008264:Macrophages / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D016707:Tissue Fixation / Q000379:methods*