13.2 - Lab + Lecture Notes Flashcards
Hepatocytes
- arranged in “plates” or “cords” surrounding large sinus capillaries
- primarily reticular fibers in the CT surrounding them
- 2 sides of hepatocyte will be bathed by sinusoidal blood
Space of Disse
= between the hepatocytes and discontinuous endothelial lining of sinusoidal capillary
- hepatocytes project microvilli into this space
= space where materials from blood are absorbed or released by hepatocytes
Bile canaliculus
- made from cell membranes of adjacent hepatocytes
- surrounded by tight junctions
- hepatocytes project sparse microvilli into this space
Classic Liver lobule
- hepatic sinusoidal capillary bed surrounds the central vein in the lobule
- portal triad is located at each vertex
- central vein is located at the center of each hepatic lobule
- should ideally be hexagonal
Portal Lobule
- portal triad is placed at the center
- lines drawn containing adjacent central veins
- should ideally be triangular
Hepatic acinus
- form a diamond whose vertices join the two closest portal triads across one axis
- with the 2 closest central veins across the other axis
Portal triads
- elements include - hepatic artery, bile ductule, lymphatic vessel, nerve fascicle
(hepatic veins are not part of the portal triad)
What are two elements of the liver that can be demonstrated with special stains and what stain would be used for each?
1) CT supporting the hepatocytes = reticular fibers
- use a silver stain
2) Kupffer cells = resident macrophages of liver
- found in sinus lumen
- use supravital staining
Glisson’s Capsul
= CT lining outside of liver
Given that liver diseases often preferentially affect hepatocytes either closer to or farther from the site of inflow of fresh blood (the portal triad), what are the two ways pathologies may be described?
1) Periportal - preferentially affecting the cells around the portal triad
2) Pericentral - preferentially affecting the cells around the central veins
