Scanning electron microscopical study of intrahepatic blood vessels during development of experimental cirrhosis in rats

Abstract

The distribution and morphological changes of intrahepatic blood vessels in CCl₄-induced cirrhotic rat liver were studied. The terminal hepatic arterioles (THA) and terminal portal venules (TPV) showed a marked hemangiomatous or racemose proliferation during the early and middle stage of cirrhosis. The connective tissue around the hyperplastic nodules was rich in small vessels. The hepatic veins (HV) were decreased in number and slightly flattened and tortuous. The number of hepatic and portal venules decreased in the advanced stage. Their branches were arranged in rings and loops. Many anastomoses had formed in the middle and advanced stages of cirrhosis. The hepatic sinusoids showed stenosis and obliteration throughout the experiment. The results indicated that in early stage THA and TPV were increased and hepatic veins were decreased in number, but in advanced stage, Portal veins (PV) and HV were all reduced and showed marked morphological changes. The blood supply of regenerative nodules was derived mainly from PV and, to a lesser extent, from HA.

Keywords

SEM / intrahepatic blood vascular casts / experimental cirrhosis