Enzyme histochemistry of the liver in extrahepatic biliary obstruction. A comparison between man, dog and rat.

Abstract

Morphological and enzyme histochemical changes during extrahepatic biliary obstruction in the liver tissue of man, dog and rat were compared. The differences in morphological changes were mainly quantitative. Ductular proliferation was less marked and occurred later in livers of man and dog than in rat liver and there were more cellular changes centrolobularly in the livers of the former two species. The qualitative differences consisted of lack of cholestasis in the rat liver and of focal necroses in the dog liver. Staining for succinic dehydrogenase and glucose‐6‐phosphatase showed decreased activity while lactic dehydro‐genase and mono‐amine oxidase remained unchanged. The lysosomal enzyme activities (acid phosphatase and beta‐glucuronidase) were increased in hepatocytes and Kupffer cells, but the increase was most evident in connection with biliary pigment in livers of dog and man. The membrane‐associated hydrolases (adenosine triphosphatase, alkaline phosphatase, leucine aminopeptidase, gamma‐glutamyl transpeptidase) varied in the three species with alternating increase and decrease at the sinusoids and canaliculi. The findings are discussed with reference to ultrastructural and biochemical changes during extrahepatic biliary obstruction. The serum activities of alkaline phosphatase and gamma‐glutamyl transpeptidase during biliary obstruction in the three species are reported.