CYTOPLASMIC LIVER-CELL INCLUSIONS - A TYPICAL FEATURE OF PORPHYRIA-CUTANEA-TARDA - ARE ABSENT IN PORPHYRIA-RELATED HEPATIC NEOPLASIAS

Crystalline cytoplasmic needle-shaped inclusions in hepatocytes are co nsidered to represent a specific morphological feature of porphyria cu tanea tarda (PCT) and experimental PCT-like porphyrias. The cytoplasmi c inclusions, however, are absent in hyperplastic hepatic nodules and hepatocellular carcinomas arising in the course of these conditions. I t is assumed that porphyrins and related substances accumulated in hyp erplastic and neoplastic hepatic lesions differ from those found in no n-neoplastic liver tissue: the highly carboxylated porphyrins are stor ed in both sites, the crystal-forming substance only in non-proliferat ing liver tissue.