TY - JOUR
T1 - Mast cell density
T2 - A quantitative index of acute liver inflammation
AU - Grizzi, Fabio
AU - Franceschini, Barbara
AU - Barbieri, Barbara
AU - Gagliano, Nicoletta
AU - Arosio, Beatrice
AU - Chiriva-Internati, Maurizio
AU - Annoni, Giorgio
AU - Dioguardi, Nicola
N1 - Copyright:
Copyright 2008 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 2002
Y1 - 2002
N2 - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate mast cell (MC) density, in liver tissues taken from young and aging rats treated with carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) or untreated, as a quantitative marker of acute liver inflammation and to investigate whether the density of MCs varied with the rats' age. STUDY DESIGN: Rats aged 2, 6, 12 and 19 months treated intraperitoneally with CCl4 were killed 2 and 24 hours after intoxication. Hepatocellular damage was established by measuring alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activity. Four histologic sections of 12 specimens from each age group were stained with toluidine blue to identify the MCs, which were counted using a computer-assisted image analysis system. RESULTS: Histology showed hepatocellular necrosis with inflammatory infiltration both 2 and 24 hours after intoxication. Serum AST levels were high in the 6- and 12-month-old rats, whereas ALT levels were high in the those aged 2 and 19 months. Two and 24 hours after intoxication, MC density increased considerably in young rats but less so in rats aged 19 months. CONCLUSION: MC density can be a useful marker of acute liver inflammation. The greater density in young rats suggests that older rats have a reduced immune response or recruit fewer MCs.
AB - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate mast cell (MC) density, in liver tissues taken from young and aging rats treated with carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) or untreated, as a quantitative marker of acute liver inflammation and to investigate whether the density of MCs varied with the rats' age. STUDY DESIGN: Rats aged 2, 6, 12 and 19 months treated intraperitoneally with CCl4 were killed 2 and 24 hours after intoxication. Hepatocellular damage was established by measuring alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activity. Four histologic sections of 12 specimens from each age group were stained with toluidine blue to identify the MCs, which were counted using a computer-assisted image analysis system. RESULTS: Histology showed hepatocellular necrosis with inflammatory infiltration both 2 and 24 hours after intoxication. Serum AST levels were high in the 6- and 12-month-old rats, whereas ALT levels were high in the those aged 2 and 19 months. Two and 24 hours after intoxication, MC density increased considerably in young rats but less so in rats aged 19 months. CONCLUSION: MC density can be a useful marker of acute liver inflammation. The greater density in young rats suggests that older rats have a reduced immune response or recruit fewer MCs.
KW - Image analysis, computer-assisted
KW - Inflammation
KW - Liver diseases
KW - Mast cell density
KW - Mast cells
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M3 - Article
C2 - 12026051
AN - SCOPUS:0036238188
SN - 0884-6812
VL - 24
SP - 63
EP - 69
JO - Analytical and Quantitative Cytology and Histology
JF - Analytical and Quantitative Cytology and Histology
IS - 2
ER -