Morphological and serum hyaluronic acid, laminin and type IV collagen changes in dimethylnitrosamine-induced hepatic fibrosis of rats

Figure 1 Serum levels of HA, LN, and Type IV collagen in DMN-induced fibrosis of rats and control, P<0. 05 vs control.

Figure 2 Changes after DMN treatment. A: Livers in the control group showed normal lobular architecture with central veins; B: after 7 d of DMN treatment, extensive necrosis was observed in portal areas; C: after 14 d of DMN treatment, thin fibrotic septa were formed joining central areas; D: after 21 or 28 d of DMN treatment, thick intralobular septa were evident.

Figure 3 Area–density percentage of collagen fibrosis in hepatic tissue. P<0.05 vs control; P<0.05 vs d 7.

Figure 4 Distribution of α-SMA positive cells after DMN treatment. A: After 14 d, linear immunoreaction for α-SMA was scattered along the sinusoidal wall; B: after 21 d, a network of α-SMA cells was evident; C: after 28 d, a dense network of α-SMA cells was evident; D: after 14 d, transitional hepatic stellate cells were observed under electron microscope; E: after 21 or 28 d, typical myofibroblasts were embedded in the core of fibrous septa.