Light, fluorescence and electron microscopic observations on vitamin A storing cells in allyl-alcohol induced liver damage.

Earlier studies have described vitamin A accumulation in perisinusoidal Ito cells, but not in portal fibroblasts. The aim of our experiments was to examine whether vitamin A pretreatment is really suitable for the distinction of the two cell groups, and to find out how these cells respond to the periportal injury caused by allyl-alcohol. Using very high doses of vitamin A we demonstrated that the portal fibroblasts, similarly to Ito cells, are able to store vitamin A, therefore in chronic liver injuries, when the lobular and sinusoidal structure is damaged, no difference can be seen between the two groups of cells (using the method suggested by the literature, so far). Our results suggest that both Ito cells and the fibroblasts in the portal region play an important role in the fibrogenesis following allyl-alcohol induced liver injury.