Abstract
A longitudinal study of elastic fibres was conducted in liver biopsies from 21 patients with chronic viral hepatitis. Biopsies were taken at the start of treatment with alpha-interferon, and after 6 months or 1 year of treatment. No elastic fibres could be detected in portal tracts or fibrous septa when inflammation and necrosis were present, whatever the duration of the disease. Once the liver lesions had healed, elastic fibres were synthesized. Fibres were of two types and patterns: at first, they were thin, long and parallel to each other. Later, they were thicker, shorter and tortuous and were closely wrapped around thick bundles of collagen fibres. These findings suggest that the deposition of elastic fibres acts as a marker of healing in chronic active hepatitis and that their remodelling occurs concomitantly with the deposit of large bundles of collagen fibres.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: Virchows Archiv A Pathological Anatomy and Histopathology
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
