P23 UNIQUE JUNCTIONAL MOLECULAR EXPRESSION IN HEPATIC SINUSOIDAL ENDOTHELIAL CELLS COMPARED TO CONVENTIONAL VASCULAR ENDOTHELIUM: IMPLICATIONS FOR LYMPHOCYTE RECRUITMENT

Abstract

To this end, we performed numerical simulations to assess the perfusion characteristics of the dysregulated microcirculation. Methods: Vascular corrosion casting, scanning electron microscopic examination (SEM; Fig. 1a) and high-resolution micro-CT imaging of a human cirrhotic liver generated detailed datasets of two dissected microsamples. Image processing resulted in 3D reconstructions of the microcirculation, and two cubic samples (150×150×150mm3) were virtually dissected (Fig. 1b,c). Subsequently, numerical simulations of blood flow through these samples were performed to characterize their permeability behavior. Results: Permeabilities of the cirrhotic liver samples are substantially higher (at least fivefold) compared to normal liver tissue. We hypothesize that compensation mechanisms (dilated sinusoids and shunt vessels, Fig. 1a) are present in order to counteract the increased vascular resistance of the liver as a whole due to regenerative nodules and dynamic contraction mechanisms. Conclusions: Numerical modeling allows quantifying the perfusion characteristics of the cirrhotic microcirculation. Future research will focus on the development of multiscale models to couple the macroand microcirculation, enabling the integration of other cirrhotic aspects (e.g. regenerative nodules) in numerical models. Furthermore, a well-established cirrhotic rat model will be studied to model the degenerative adaptation of the cirrhotic (micro)circulation.