HEPATIC MICROCIRCULATION AND PERIBILIARY PLEXUS IN EXPERIMENTAL BILIARY-CIRRHOSIS - A MORPHOLOGICAL-STUDY

Background & Aims: The peribiliary plexus plays a fundamental role in supporting the secretory and absorptive functions of biliary epitheliu m, Little information is available on the rearrangement of the peribil iary plexus during conditions associated with ductular proliferation, This study investigated the chronological modulation of bile duct and peribiliary plexus proliferation after common bile duct ligation in th e rat, Methods: Light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy vasc ular corrosion cast technique was used to study the architecture of th e peribiliary plexus in rats with 1, 2, and 4 weeks of common bile duc t ligation or in sham-operated controls, Results: After 1 week of comm on bile duct ligation, no evident change of hepatic microvasculature w as observed despite significant proliferation of bile ducts, After 2 a nd 4 weeks, significant microvasculature proliferation was observed ex tending from the peribiliary plexus of bile tracts, Vascular prolifera tion coincides with the extension of portal tract connective tissue, N o evidence of vascular proliferation or other morphological modificati ons was present at the level of sinusoids around the portal tracts, Co nclusions: After common bile duct ligation, the peribiliary plexus und ergoes marked proliferation, thus supporting the increased nutritional and functional demands from the proliferated bile ductal system, Howe ver, the proliferation of the peribiliary plexus only occurs after tha t of the bile ductal system.