Enzyme activities as electron microscopic markers of bile and bile thrombi in the study of cholestasis.

Abstract

An electron microscopical study of several phosphatases in liver tissue was made in different forms of cholestasis. The material included a biopsy from a case of giant cell hepatitis, dog liver after experimental common bile duct ligation, and rat liver under the same experimental conditions. A positive reaction of several phosphatases was noted in the sites of intra and extracellular accumulation of bile constituents. It is suggested that the activity of phosphatases, especially the alkaline phosphatase activity, can be useful as an electron microscopic marker of intracytoplasmic and intercellular bile constituents in the study of bile transport and bile regurgitation. The supposition is made that the intracytoplasmic bilirubin carrier protein can be of enzymatic character.