Nerve growth factor involvement in liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma

Figure 3 NGF and trkA^NGF distribution in cirrhotic tissues by confocal microscopy. A₁: Liver specimens obtained before transplantation from patients with cirrhosis but without HCC (Child-Pugh C); A₂: NGF distribution; A₃: trkA^NGF distribution; B₁: Specimens from patients with cirrhosis, also suffering from HCC, at early staging (Child-Pugh A); B₂: NGF distribution; B₃: trkA^NGF distribution. NGF or trkA^NGF immunoreaction (red hue) is particularly evident on biliary epithelial cells and on spindle-shaped cells, in cirrhotic tissue from patient at early staging (Child-Pugh A), but in presence of HCC, while no immunoreaction is observed in liver specimens resected before transplantation (Child-Pugh C) from patients without HCC. No immunoreaction is observed in controls performed by substitution of primary antisera with non-immune rabbit serum. bec: biliary epithelial cells; ssc: spindle-shaped cells.