Abstract
Summary
In an attempt to produce portal cirrhosis, guinea pigs were fed white phosphorus in olive oil by mouth for periods up to 35 weeks. Microscopic examination of livers from animals killed after one week showed inconstant, slight to moderate cytoplasmic hyalinization and occasional to few necrotic liver cells. There was also moderate cellular infiltration of portal areas and parenchymal fatty metamorphosis; the latter was sometimes periportal in location. These changes continued to be observed in most animals throughout the experimental period with increasing amounts of collagen in portal areas appearing as the experiment progressed. The increase in collagen was definite but never great. In 4 animals thin collagenous trabecule connected portal areas and surrounded lobules. In a number of other animals fibrous extensions of portal areas were present but incomplete. There was neither prominent lobule distortion nor parenchymal hyperplasia. The failure to produce clear-cut portal cirrhosis is considered to be due to the inconstant and minimal degree of periportal necrosis.
After 9 weeks, the livers showed an increasing incidence of depressed gross lesions of irregular shape and size. The lesions in some livers were of such extent and severity as to produce marked deformity and shrinkage of various lobes. Microscopically, the lesions showed moderate to marked loss of parenchymal cells with collapse of sinusoids and reticulum stroma. In the latter part of the experiment a few such lesions showed marked fibrosis. The probable pathogenesis of these lesions is discussed and the incidence by lobes is given.
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