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- Volume 4 (1985)
- Number 2 - Proceedings of the fourth European symp...
- Ultrastructural and morphometric investigation on the fetal rat liver
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Ultrastructural and morphometric investigation on the fetal rat liver
Abstract
Qualitative and quantitative changes in liver tissue composition have been studied during prenatal development of the rat by electron microscopy and morphometric/stereologic methods. On the 12th day of gestation 26% of fetal liver volume consisted of hepatocytes, and the non hepatocytes cells amounted to 57%. On the 13th and 18th fetal days the volumetric density of hepatocytes occupied about 40% of the liver, and the non hepatocyte cells amounted respectively to 50% and 43%. By days 12 and 13, the rough endoplasmic reticulum and the Golgi complexes were well differentiated indicating that young fetal hepatocytes were able to synthesize and export plasma proteins. On days 12, 13 and 18 the mitochondrial compartment occupied 13% of the hepatocyte cytoplasm. On day 18, the mitochondria were larger and less numerous than on days 12 and 13, but without change in the shape. The ferrocyanide-reduced osmium post-fixation has been compared with conventional osmium post-fixation for the 18 days old fetuses. Ferrocyanide-reduced osmium post-fixation combined a good preservation and staining of glycogen with an increase density of membrane organelles.