Abstract
The cell membrane of T lymphocytes has been stained clearly by immunoperoxidase method with anti-human thymocyte serum on formalin fixed and paraffin section of liver biopsy specimens.
By this method, T lymphocytes were examined in thirty one cases which were divided into the following groups; 3 with acute hepatitis, 20 with chronic hepatitis, 6 with liver cirrhosis and 2 with other liver diseases.
T lymphccytes were predominant both in portal tracts and in acinus compared with non-T lymphocytes.
T lymphocytes, especially in chronic liver diseases, were often contact with and/or surrounded degenerated hepatocytes at piecemeal necrosis and also in acinus. These findings were considered fundamental to elucidate the mechanism of the hepatocellular necrosis.
Our results support histrogically the view that T lymphocytes play an important part in the pathogenesis of the liver cell necrosis.
