Hepatic non-parenchymal cells and extracellular matrix participate in oval cell-mediated liver regeneration

Figure 4 Laminin distribution and correlation with oval cell following PH of rats treated with AAF. A: On day 2 after PH, laminin is present along hepatic sinusoids in peirportal areas and in the cytoplasm of few nonparenchymal cells in the lobule (arrows) (× 200); B: On day 6 after PH, laminin positivity around the ductular oval cells. The proximal part of the ductule has continuous laminin staining, whereas distally the basement membrane is fragmented or absent (arrows) (× 400); C: Periportal area stained for OV-6 (green) and laminin (red) 12 d after PH. The bifurcating ductule strongly positive for OV-6, is surrounded by continuous basement membrane (× 200); D: Portal area 15 d after PH, stained for laminin (red) and desmin (green). Some of the desmin-positive cells are positioned closely to the laminin (+) basement membrane of ductules (long arrows). Some of the laminin-positive ductules also stained positively for desmin (short arrows). The focus (dash line marks the edge) is negative for laminin except some oval cell ductules enclosed in the focus (arrow head) (× 400); E: On day 15 after PH, most laminins are present around the focus, some laminins invading the hepatocyte clusters (arrows) (× 100).