Abstract
We histologically and immunohistochemically examined porta hepatis from four patients with correctable or uncorrectable biliary atresia. In the correctable cases, acid mucin was prominent and CA 19-9 was diffusely observed in the cytoplasm of bile ducts at the porta hepatis. Collagen type IV (C IV), laminin (LN), and fibronectin (FN) were observed in the basement membrane of the bile ducts, while tenascin (TN) was negative. On the contrary, in the uncorrectable cases, neutral mucin was predominant and CA 19-9 was located weakly along the apical border of the bile ducts. All four of the extracellular matrix proteins were positive. Sialyl SSEA-1 (SLX) was absolutely negative in all four cases. These pathological findings suggest that there are biological heterogeneities in the bile ducts at the porta hepatis in patients with any type of biliary atresia. In addition, the genesis of biliary atresia was suggested to occur after 12 gestational weeks by the results of both CA 19-9 and SLX immunocytochemistry in our four cases.
