Title: Hepatic microcirculatory dysfunction during cholestatic liver injury in rats.

Authors: Ito, Yoshiya; Bethea, Nancy W; Baker, Gregory L; McCuskey, Margaret K; Urbaschek, Renate; McCuskey, Robert S

Published In Microcirculation, (2003 Oct)

Abstract: OBJECTIVE:: The present study was conducted to elucidate the sequential alterations in the hepatic microvascular inflammatory response to extrahepatic biliary obstruction. METHODS:: The hepatic microvasculature in anesthetized Sprague-Dawley rats was studied by in vivo microscopy 3, 7, and 14 days after bile duct ligation (BDL) or sham operation. RESULTS:: The numbers of adhering leukocytes and swollen sinusoidal endothelial cells were significantly increased at 3, 7, and 14 days after BDL when compared with sham-operated controls. Concomitantly, the numbers of sinusoids containing blood flow were significantly and progressively decreased by up to 30%. The phagocytic activity of hepatic macrophages was significantly elevated during the development of biliary cholestasis. In particular, centrilobular phagocytosis at 14 days after BDL was significantly increased 1.4- to 2.0-fold when compared with that at 3 and 7 days after BDL. Electron microscopy also revealed evidence of activated Kupffer cells reflected by numerous filopodia and ruffles. CONCLUSIONS:: These results suggest that hepatic microcirculatory dysfunction subsequent to BDL contributes to cholestatic liver injury. Microcirculation (2003) 10, 421-432. doi:10.1038/sj.mn.7800208

PubMed ID: 14557825

MeSH Terms: No MeSH terms associated with this publication