Ground-Glass Hepatocytes in Unselected Liver Biopsies. Ultrastructure and Relationship to Hepatitis B Surface Antigen

Abstract

Winckler, K., Junge, U. & Creutzfeldt, W. Ground-glass hepatocytes in unselected liver biopsies. Ultrastructure and relationship to hepatitis B surface antigen. Scand. J. Gastroent. 1976, 11, 167-170.

400 unselected liver biopsies were stained with aldehyde-thionin (AT) and examined for ground-glass hepatocytes (GGH). 1) AT-positive GGH were found in about half of all HB_sAg-positive patients but were never seen in HB_sAg-negative patients. 2) AT-positive GGH were observed in healthy HB_sAg carriers and in all forms of chronic hepatitis but never in acute HB_sAg-positive hepatitis. 3) AT-negative GGH were occasionally seen in HB_sAg-negative patients under drug treatment. 4) Ultrastructurally GGH showed proliferation of smooth endoplasmic reticulum which only in AT-positive GGH contained filaments, 20–25 nm in diameter, within its cisternae.

Key-words::

• Aldehyde-thionin stain
• drug reaction
• ground-glass hepatocytes
• hepatitis B surface antigen
• smooth endoplasmic reticulum