Autoantibodies reacting with the galactose-specific hepatic asialoglycoprotein receptor--a liver-specific component expressed on the surfaces of hepatocytes--are often found in patients with chronic active hepatitis of presumed autoimmune origin. As part of an investigation into whether these anti-asialoglycoprotein receptor antibodies might be involved in the development of periportal liver damage in chronic active hepatitis, livers of ether-anesthetized rats were perfused in situ with polyclonal guinea pig anti-rabbit asialoglycoprotein receptor or murine monoclonal anti-human galactose-specific hepatic asialoglycoprotein receptor antibodies in excess at less than 8 degrees C or, as a control, with guinea pig anti-human plasma protein antibodies or normal guinea pig serum. Rapid (1 min) antegrade (by way of portal vein) or retrograde (through hepatic veins by way of vena cava) perfusions were performed in a nonrecirculating (once-through) mode in Ca+(+)-free medium. Blocks of liver tissue were immediately snap-frozen and the distribution of the antibody examined in cryostat sections by using an avidin-biotin immunohistochemical technique. In all of the perfusions with anti-asialoglycoprotein receptor (six antegrade, seven retrograde), the antibodies were found to be prominently and almost exclusively deposited on liver cells in the periportal areas. No deposition of immunoglobulins was detected in livers perfused with the control guinea pig sera. The findings suggest that the asialoglycoprotein receptor is expressed at high density mainly on cells in zone 1 of the hepatic lobule, and this may have implications for the development of periportal liver damage in chronic active hepatitis.

SUMMARY An enzyme immunohistochemical technique for the localisation of liver membrane antigens in tissue sections by antisera raised in guinea pigs against the liver preparation known as "liver specific membrane lipoprotein (LSP)" was developed, based on the alkaline phosphatase avidin biotin complex (ABC AP) system. Of a wide range of fixatives and fixation conditions investigated, a short (five minute) exposure of cryostat sections to Bouin's fluid provided the most satisfactory results and-together with procedures to block endogenous biotin and alkaline phosphatase-yielded clear sections with no background staining or other artefacts to interfere with specific staining patterns. The sensitivity ofthe technique approaches that ofa radioimmunoassay, as shown by the staining of the sinusoidal domains of hepatocellular plasma membranes by the guinea pig anti-LSP antisera at dilutions up to 1/50 000. Apart from its reliability and sensitivity the procedure offers additional advantages over techniques such as indirect immunofluorescence in that it provides a permanent preparation with well defined morphological details which can be seen by ordinary light microscopy.

This paper deals with the immuno-pathological characteristics of tick-borne encephalitis. With the appearance of neurological signs, there is a strong T cell reaction in th peripheral blood. The following seven days are characterized by the appearance of specific cell-mediated reaction in the peripheral blood; in the cell-mediated reaction in the peripheral blood; in the cerebrospinal fluid, an increasing number of B cells and specific antibodies can be detected. After a week, the percent positivity of cell-mediated immune reactions is higher and there is a T cell dominance in the cerebrospinal fluid. Intact cellular immunity against specific antigen is required for the management of this disease. There are major differences in the results obtained from patients suffering from meningitis alone and those suffering from meningoencephalitis.

The authors presented a case of a 68-year-old woman with glassy cell carcinoma of the endometrium in FIGO stage IA, treated with hysterectomy, bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy and radiation therapy. The patient was alive and disease free at the end of 2 years of follow up. Glassy cell carcinoma of the endometrium is a rare neoplasm, with 13 previously cases reported in the literature. Although glassy cell carcinoma is considered to be a poor differentiated variant of adenosquamous carcinoma, its real nature is still debated. In order to establish correct prognosis for this rare entity and to evaluate the nature and clinical significance of glassy cell carcinoma detailed analysis of more cases is required.

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