A Comparative Study of Liver Cell Regenerative Activity between Primary Biliary Cirrhosis, Alcoholic Cirrhosis, Hepatitic Cirrhosis, and Hepatocellular Carcinoma using Figure Analysis

Liver cell regeneration which is a prominent pathological feature in cirrhosis of the liver was examined histopathologically and by figure analysis using immage analyser. Liver cell regenerative changes in liver biopsies of primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC), alcoholic cirrhosis, hepatitic cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) were compared. In PBC, regenerative features of liver cells were mild in degree. In alcoholic cirrhosis, regenerative liver cells were less prominent than in hepatitic cirrhosis. In hepatitic cirrhosis, regenerative liver cell nodules were well developed, showing remarkable pleomorphism of liver cell nuclei and expansive arrangement of liver cell cords. Cellular and structural atypia were observed in some parts of regenerative nodules. These results suggest that a possibility of occurring HCC is much more prominent in hepatitic cirrhosis than in PBC or alcoholic cirrhosis, because developement of liver cell regeneration is most remarkable in hepatitic cirrhosis