Search

It has been well established that Increase of elastic fibers Is a prominent feature In chronic liver diseases, especially in liver cirrhosis. Little is known, however, about the mechanism of the elastogenesis in liver tissue. As a result of histological examination of the pattern of elastic fiber formation in various kinds of liver diseases, it was concluded that elastogenesis in the liver tissue can be divided into two stages: first stage is proliferation of thin elastic fibers and second step Is remodeling of newly formed and preexistent elastic fibers. It seemed reasonable to conclude that the formation of thin elastic fibers was mainly related to proliferation of arteries and arterioles, from the observation of specimens, which were injected dye from the A. hepatlca. On the other hand, thick elastic fibers found in advanced liver cirrhosis, were supposed as the result of fusion and deformation of preexistent or newly formed thin elastic fibers. Chemical analysis of collagen and elastin of the liver tissues of various conditions showed that the ratio of elastin to collagen increased with the progress of liver fibrosis. These results suggested that elastic fibers in chronic liver diseases were not teleologlcally formed to some pathological condition, but were formed and accumulated as the result of some process.

Heparin has been shown to increase collagenolytic activity in bone and cause osteoporosis in man. In order to investigate if a similar collagenolytic activity could be induced in the liver and cause a dissolution of liver fibrosis, daily heparin injections were given for 17–20 weeks to rats with CCl4-induced liver fibrosis. No such effect could be demonstrated by means of histological investigation and hydroxyproline determination. Possible reasons for this lack of effect are discussed.

Die Bildung des intrahepatischen Gallenwegsystems lA\t sich beschreiben als ein Umbildungsvorgang der Leberzellen in der Umgebung aller von Bindegewebe umgebenen zufuhrenden Venen. Diese Entwicklung beginnt im Bereich der Eintrittsstellen der Vena portae und der Vena umbilicalis sinistra in die Leber und folgt der Ausbildung der zufuhrenden venosen Strombahn, so da\ sich die Altesten Bildungsstadien im Bereich der Leberpforte und die jungsten im Bereich der sog. erweiterten Sinusoide finden.

The basin of the River Chikugo around Kurume is still one of the prominent areas in Japan infected with schistosomiasis japonica. Therefore, autopsies done in this district often reveal schistosome ova in the tissue specimens of each organ. Furthermore, as a residue of the present disease, very high pathological changes of the liver, advancing to a stage of liver cirrhosis with schistosomal ova, can be detected.During the seven years from 1955-1961 the authors found the ova of schistosoma japonicum in 34 cases of all the liver specimens prepared in their department. In this first report, macroscopical observations on the morphology of liver are described. Full particulars will be published later by Watanabe.

1) Activities of collagenase-like peptidase and other enzymes were examined on cirrhotic or fibrous liver tissues, and that of Colg was found to be almost in parallel with oxyproline content in the liver tissues of human. But, s-gl activity was not high, when cirrhosis was completed. 2) Proline analogs synthesized for the prevention of fiber formation of the liver were tested against agar-induced granuloma and liver fibrosis experimentally induced in rats. 4-Amino proline or 4-amino-5-methyl proline seemed to be promising.

肝疾患の生化学的検査法,酵素学的診断法も,肝疾患の一つの終末像ともいうべき肝硬変の診断ということではまだ充分なものはないようてある.また肝硬変症の予後はその基礎になる肝疾患の初期の治療に左右されることが大きいと考えられ,また治療にあたつて肝の線維化を反映する検査法があれば非常に好都合である.この点にかんしては,既に合成基質に活性を示すcollagenase様pepti-dase活性が肝組織にあつて,それがかなり肝線維化と相関を示すことが石井らによつて報告されている.著者は合成基質を作つて,臨床肝生検材料20例についてその活性を測定して,肝硬変症で高値を示すことを確認した.またproline analogueの寒天肉芽腫における線維形成に対する影響を観察して,線維形成抑制効果のあることをみた. 24時間尿中hydroxyproline排泄をも肝硬変症その他について測定し, Marfan症候群でその排泄は増量し,肝硬変症では少ないことを知った.

Objective This study aims to determine expression of Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein and of Alpha Smooth Muscle Actin (α-SMA) in hepatic stellate cells of CHC cases and their association with stage of fibrosis. Methods The study was conducted at Ziauddin University, Clifton Campus during the year 2010-2012. Sixty Chronic Hepatitis C cases were immmunostained using anti α-SMA antibody and anti-GFAP antibody. Semi quantitative scoring in pericentral, periportal and perisinusoidal area of each case was done to assess immunoexpression of each marker. Results : Immunoexpression of GFAP showed significant association with α-SMA. GFAP expression was inversely correlated with progression of fibrosis. Conclusion : GFAP could represent a useful marker for early hepatic stellate cells activation. Follow up biopsies showing decline in GFAP levels may help identify the target group requiring aggressive therapy.

Summary1. Fibrous-tissue proliferation is shown to occur in the livers of hypophysectomized dogs. Its development was not preceded by an increase in the fat content of the liver.2. Hypothalamic damage as a cause of the fibrous-tissue proliferation was ruled out.3. The development of hepatic fibrosis in these dogs fed a diet adequate in all respects and rich in proteins suggests that hypophysectomy induces either (a) a derangement in digestion and/or absorption, or (b) an increased need for certain dietary substances essential for the maintenance of a normal liver.