Ultrastructural Changes of the Bile Secretory Apparatus and Bile Ductule in Experimental Hepatitis B With Neither Apparent Biochemical Nor Light‐microscopic Cholestasis

Abstract

An ultrastructural study on the hepatic bile secretory apparatus and bile ductules was carried out using liver biopsy specimens of six chimpanzees with experimental hepatitis B. Although biochemical cholestasis was very mild or lacking and light‐microscopic evidence of cholestasis was not evident, various ultrastructural changes which had been described in association with cholestasis were detected. The significance of these ultrastructural changes in relevance to cholestasis was difflcult to determine, nevertheless electron‐microscopic examination could possibly be the most sensitive means for the diagnosis of cholestasis. These ultrastructural changes appeared to be indifferent to the necrotizing process of liver cells in experimental hepatitis B. ACTA PATHOL. JPN. 35 : 1343–1358, 1985.