Ultrastructural changes in hepatocytes, sinusoidal endothelial cells and macrophages in hypothermic preservation of the rat liver with University of Wisconsin solution

Abstract

To identify subtle changes which might lead to liver failure after liver transplantation, rat livers stored at 4 degrees C in University of Wisconsin solution for 8, 16, 24, and 32 h were examined by transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, cellular matrix maceration and freeze fracture for ultrastructural analysis. Endothelial cells exhibited aggregation of intramembrane particles (IMPs) at 8 h and produced tiny blebs accompanied by marked development of pits. As deterioration advanced, endothelial cells exposed the perisinusoidal faces of hepatocytes directly to the lumen with destruction of sieve plates. They then degraded with loss of IMPs. Macrophages followed a similar deterioration process to endothelial cells. Membranes of hepatocytes did not demonstrate aggregations of IMPs for 32 h. Rough endoplasmic reticulum (rER) lost ribosomes and smooth ER (sER) increased in amount and dilated in an irregular form. Autophagosomes appeared in the cytoplasm, engulfed cytoplasmic matrix containing intracellular organelles and became autophagic vacuoles. At 32 h bile canaliculi were filled with detached vesicles. This may be one of the causes of preservation related bile duct complications after liver transplantation.

Cold-induced apoptosis of rat liver endothelial cells: contribution of mitochondrial alterations

“…Notably, there are scarce reports about autophagic events in cold preservation injury. Autophagic vacuoles were observed in rat hepatocytes during cold liver storage in UW solution (27) and (interpreted as endosomes) in endothelial cells during reperfusion of human livers after cold ischemia in UW solution (28).…”

Ultrastructural localization of the intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM-1) on the cell surface of high endothelial venules in lymph nodes

“…ICAM-1 (arrowhead) are expressed along the fold, but not on the lymphocyte. preservation is due to a reduction in metabolism because of low temperature and protection against cell swelling because it stabilizes membranes andlor membrane particles (Okouchi et al, 1994). This method had three advantages in the present study: (1) analyzing a condition similar to that in vivo by lowering the metabolism, (2) preserving ultrastructural features, and (3) comparing SEM observations to TEM simultaneously (Sasaki et al, 1993).…”

The ultrastructural characteristics of bile canaliculus in porcine liver donated after cardiac death and machine perfusion preservation

“…In the present study, the porcine bile canaliculi after warm ischemia and after HMP and MMP preservation were analyzed by OM-SEM and complementary TEM methods. Okouhchi et al [70] analyzed the ultrastructure of the rat liver after HMP preservation by OM-SEM, but did not describe the bile canaliculi. Our previous study using OM-SEM [61] described the bile canaliculi after MMP preservation under low magnification, but the detailed ultrastructure of the bile canaliculi was not established at that stage.…”