Hepatic angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 expression in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease and in patients with fatal COVID-19

Figure 2 Hepatic angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 immunolocalization in cholangiocytes and hepatocytes in normal and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease. Representative images of liver sections showing strong and precise immunostaining for angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) on the apical membrane of cholangiocytes. A: Normal liver; B: Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD)-related cirrhosis (arrowheads); C: Normal liver showing punctuate granular intracellular ACE2 immunostaining in hepatocytes (arrowhead); D: Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis showing ACE2 immunostaining localised close to the plasma membrane in some steatotic hepatocytes (arrowhead). Scale bars: 20 µm.