Stereological estimation of Ito cells from rat liver using the optical fractionator - a preliminary report

english

2002

volume 21, issue 1

Društvo za stereologijo in kvantitativno analizo slike
(Obvezni izvod spletne publikacije)

In the last two decades, much light has been shed on hepatic fibrosis, and theactivation/proliferation of Ito cells (IC) emerged to play a central role. Therefore, it is essential to have solid quantitative data in nonpathological statuses; yet, this data is scarce and conned to "number per area" or semiquantitative information. Moreover, the supposed heterogeneous distribution of IC in the hepatic lobule was never analysed with design-based (unbiased) stereology. In the present study, the total number (N) of IC in ratliver was estimated for the %rst time, by combining immunocytochemistry with the optical fractionator. Quantification was extended to the hepatocytes,to disclose the IC index, an often-used ratio in hepatology. Systematic uniform random liver sections were obtained from male Wistar rats (n = 3), and immunostained against glial %brillary acidic protein (GFAP), a known specific marker for hepatic IC. For the first time, these were marked against GFAP in thick (30 pm) paraffin sections. The estimated N of IC was 224E06; with a coefficient of error of 0.04 or 0.06, depending on the particular equation used (based on the so-called "quadratic approximation"). The IC index was 91 IC/1000 hepatocytes. Concerning the lobular heterogeneity,it was proved the liver harbours a larger total number of periportal IC and hepatocytes.

16.09.2009