Quantitative studies of hepatocytes in periportal and perivenous zones of the liver lobules in diabetic rats

This study was designed to evaluate the morphometric changes of parenchymal cells in the periportal (Z1) and perivenous (Z3) zones of the liver lobules that occur after Streptozotocin-induced diabetes in rats. Twenty male rats were allocated in two groups of normal and diabetic. Hyperglycemia in rats induced by 80 mg kg-1 Streptozotocin intraperitoneally. The blood glucose concentration was measured by using a Glucometer in 1st, 3rd and 5th week. After five weeks, with using anesthesia liver removed. Liver specimens were fixed in buffered formaldehyde and embedded in paraffin. Hematoxylin and eosin stained sections were used for quantitative morphometric analysis. Morphometric parameters in mononuclear cells were measured by Olysia software. All data are shown as mean with standard error of means and analyzed using the Student's t-test and p-value less of 0.05. Mean areas of hepatocyte, their nuclei and nucleolus were reduced by approximately 1.29, 7.27 and 0.76% in zone 1 in the diabetic rats in comparison with the control group. While mean areas of hepatocyte, their nuclei and nucleolus were increased by approximately 5.26, 2.53 and 3.10%, respectively, in zone 3 in the diabetic and control rats. It is concluded that Streptozotocin injection leads to reduction in area of hepatocytes and their nuclei and nucleolar in zone 1 and an increase in area of hepatocytes and their nuclei and nucleolar in zone 3. © 2007 Academic Journals Inc