Alcohol-induced alterations of the hepatocyte cytoskeleton

Figure 1 Ethanol alters cytoskeletal organization in hepatocytes. In control cells (top left cell), microtubules emanate from sites at or near the apical plasma membrane with their plus ends attached to or near the basolateral plasma membrane. In the presence of ethanol (bottom left cell), microtubules appear thicker, shorter and more gnarled. In contrast, ethanol does not alter actin filament organization (middle cell). Both control and ethanol-exposed actin filaments form a dense sub-cortical web at both the apical and basolateral plasma membranes. Keratin filaments normally form dense cortical networks originating from the apical and basolateral plasma membrane in hepatocytes (top right cell). In the presence of ethanol, keratin filaments accumulate in dense cytoplasmic inclusions known as Mallory-Denk Bodies (bottom right cell).