A computer-generated three-dimensional view of the developing human biliary system

Abstract

With the advent of computers, microscopy has entered an exciting new era of computerised three dimensional (3D) reconstruction. Using serial sections, it is now possible to generate complex 3D images, that can be rotated at various angles to study the organ systems of interest. In this project, the first of its kind, we have used computer generated 3D reconstruction to study the developing human biliary system.The human biliary system consists of the extra and intrahepatic components. The extrahepatic system develops from the embryonic hepatic diverticulum and is tubular from the start. The intrahepatic bile ducts arise from the Ductal Plate. The Ductal Plate comprises of sheets of biliary epithelium, with discontinuous luminal spaces, that appear within the mesenchyme along the portal vein branches. The Ductal Plate is remodelled into tubular definitive bile ducts by an orderly process of epithelial deletion and selection which occurs between 11-13 weeks of gestation