M. Takatani et al., IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL OBSERVATION OF FAS IN THE HUMAN LIVER - LIGHT ANDELECTRON-MICROSCOPIC OBSERVATION BY IMMUNO-PEROXIDASE METHOD, HEPATOLOGY RESEARCH, 4(6), 1996, pp. 334-342
The expression of Fas was examined in liver specimens from 18 patients
with various liver diseases (8 type B chronic hepatitis, 7 type C chr
onic hepatitis, 2 autoimmune hepatitis and one fatty liver) and normal
liver specimens obtained from 2 patients under surgical treatments fo
r metastatic liver cancer, by light and electron microscopy using the
indirect peroxidase-labelled antibody method. Fas was detected on the
surface of hepatocytes in all cases. By immunoelectron microscopy, den
se reaction products were observed on the plasma membrane facing both
the Disse's and intercellular spaces, as well as in some membranes of
the endoplasmic reticulum. In patients with severe or moderate chronic
liver inflammation, strongly Fas-positive hepatocytes were distribute
d diffusely throughout the lobules. On the other hand, in patients wit
h minimal hepatic inflammation, Fas expression was weak, and localized
mainly in hepatocytes of the centrilobular area. These findings confi
rm the localization of Fas on the plasma membrane of hepatocytes, and
suggest that Fas expression may increase with increasing degree of int
rahepatic inflammation.