Anat Cell Biol.  2022 Mar;55(1):92-99. 10.5115/acb.21.152.

Cytological, histochemical, and ultrastructural study of human foetal liver of various gestation with future implications in segmental resection: an anatomical perspective

• Haldar A
• Gaikwad MR
• Patra A
• Bhattacharya SC

• KMID: 2527673
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5115/acb.21.152

Abstract

The liver is the largest gland of the gastrointestinal tract having both exocrine and endocrine functions. Developmentally it arises as a ventral outgrowth from the gut endoderm during 3rd week of intrauterine life. The foetal liver is very important because of its synthetic and hemopoietic potential. The present work aimed to see the detailed histogenesis and development of the foetal liver by cytological, immunohistochemical and ultrastructural study. The liver tissue of nine aborted foetuses of various gestational age were studied. For cytology: special stains like Masson trichrome, periodic acid Schiff and reticulin were used, immunohistochemical staining was performed with triple antibodies (c-myc, Ki-67 and Ber-H2), and for ultrastructure: aluminium mounted specimens were coated with gold and argon gas and observed under scanning electron microscopy (EM). Cytology and immunohistochemistry showed the development of duct patterns and hemopoietic patterns in all stages of fetogenesis. The ductal plate was marked by the layer of dark brown staining cells at the edge of two portal tracts. The haemopoietic cells with sinusoids and aggregation of hepatocytes were observed in the early weeks of gestation. EM showed tree-like branching of a portal canal depicting hepatic segmentation of foetal liver. The organizational changes in lobular pattern, duct pattern, and microstructure of liver during fetogenesis are very crucial to achieve the adult morphology in feature. Histogenesis of the foetal liver follows a multistep process depending upon the gestational age, any deviation from normalcy may lead to structural and functional abnormality later in life.

Keyword

Hepatocytes; Immunohistochemistry; Cytology; Inclusion bodies

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Photomicrograph (Masson trichrome, ×10) of cytology showing the formation of the portal triad (A) and future central vein (B) in 1st-trimester foetal liver.

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  Fig. 2 Photomicrograph (Masson trichrome, ×10) of cytology showing the formation of the portal triad (the hepatic artery [HA], portal vein [PV] and bile duct [BD], hepatic sinusoids [HS] in 2nd-trimester foetal liver.

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  Fig. 3 Photomicrograph (Masson trichrome, ×20) of cytology showing Kupffer cells and red blood cells (RBCs) in hepatic sinusoids (HS) along with plates of hepatocytes in 3rd-trimester foetal liver. HA, hepatic artery; PV, portal vein; BD, bile duct.

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  Fig. 4 Photomicrograph (×10) of immunohistochemistry with CD30 (Ber-H2): brown discolouration of hepatocytes (arrow) labelled with Ber-H2, indicate immunopositivity. These dark brown staining cells at the edge of two portal tracts shows the formation of normal ductal plate. CV, central vein.

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  Fig. 5 Photomicrograph (×10) of immunohistochemistry with c-myc: brown discolouration of developing central vein (CV), hepatic sinusoids (HS) labelled with c-myc indicates immunopositivity which is more prominent than the Ber-H2.

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  Fig. 6 Photomicrograph (×10) of immunohistochemistry with Ki-67: brown discolouration of developing hepatic parenchyma indicates immunopositivity which is of similar intensity as c-myc. RBCs, red blood cells; HS, hepatic sinusoids; CV, central vein.

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  Fig. 7 Photomicrograph of the ultrastructure of the foetal liver obtained through scanning electron microscopy: showing tree-like branching of a portal canal indicating hepatic segmentation of liver. HA, hepatic artery; PV, portal vein.

Reference

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