DEGENERATIVE AND REGENERATIVE PROCESSES IN THE LIVER OF WHITE RATS DURING THE MODELING OF TOXIC CIRRHOSIS. CHANGES OF OVAL CELLS

Background. It is known that the role of oval cells is identified as one of the leading in the reparative regeneration of the liver associated with the suppression of proliferation of mature hepatocytes. However, the genesis and mechanism of liver oval cell differentiation are not clear yet. Objective. To study the changes in hepatic oval cell population during the experimental toxic cirrhosis using histological and histochemical methods. Material and methods. Classical methods of light microscopy and our own modification of the method of modeling toxic cirrhosis in rats were used. Results. Oval cells were detected in the portal areas of the liver; these cells migrated through connective septa as strands and subsequently differentiated into two lines of cells: hepatocytes forming false lobules or individual cell clusters, and cholangiocytes forming bile ducts. Conclusions. Oval cells in this experimental model are the source of both new false lobules and new departments of intralobular bile ducts.