Cirrhosis pathophysiology

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Aditya Govindavarjhulla, M.B.B.S. [2];Kalsang Dolma, M.B.B.S.[3]

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Overview

Cirrhosis occurs due to long term liver injury which causes an imbalance between matrix production and degradation. Early disruption of the normal hepatic matrix results in its replacement by scar tissue, which in turn has deleterious effects on cell function.

Pathophysiology

  • Cirrhosis is often preceded by hepatitis and fatty liver (steatosis). If the cause is removed at this stage, the changes are still fully reversible.
  • The pathological hallmark of cirrhosis is the development of scar tissue that replaces normal parenchyma, blocking the portal flow of blood through the organ and disturbing normal function. The development of fibrosis requires several months, or even years, of ongoing injury.
  • The fibrous tissue bands (septa) separate hepatocyte nodules, which eventually replace the entire liver architecture, leading to decreased blood flow throughout.
  • The spleen becomes congested, which leads to hypersplenism and increased sequestration of platelets.
  • Portal hypertension is responsible for the most severe complications of cirrhosis.

Genetics

  • Certain TERT (Telomerase reverese transcriptase)gene variants resulting in reduced telomerase activity has been found to be a risk factor for sporadic cirrhosis[6]
  • An uncharacterized nucleolar protein, NOL11, has a role in the pathogenesis of North American Indian childhood cirrhosis[7]
  • Loss of interaction between the C-terminus of Utp4/cirhin and other SSU processome proteins may cause North American Indian childhood cirrhosis[8]

Gross Pathology

Macroscopically, the liver may initially be enlarged, but with progression of the disease, it becomes smaller. Its surface is irregular, the consistency is firm, and the color is often yellow (if associates steatosis). Depending on the size of the nodules there are three macroscopic types: micronodular, macronodular and mixed cirrhosis.

  • In the micronodular form (Laennec's cirrhosis or portal cirrhosis) regenerating nodules are under 3 mm.
  • In macronodular cirrhosis (post-necrotic cirrhosis), the nodules are larger than 3 mm.
  • The mixed cirrhosis consists of a variety of nodules with different sizes.

Images courtesy of Professor Peter Anderson DVM PhD and published with permission © PEIR, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Department of Pathology

Microscopic Pathology

Microscopically, cirrhosis is characterized by regeneration nodules surrounded by fibrous septa. In these nodules, regenerating hepatocytes are disorderly disposed. Portal tracts, central veins and the radial pattern of hepatocytes are absent. Fibrous septa are important and may present inflammatory infiltrate (lymphocytes, macrophages). If it is a secondary biliary cirrhosis, biliary ducts are damaged, proliferated or distended - bile stasis. These dilated ducts contain inspissated bile which appears as bile casts or bile thrombi (brown-green, amorphous). Bile retention may be found also in the parenchyma, as the so called "bile lakes".[9]

Chronic active hepatitis - Cirrhosis

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Micronodular cirrhosis

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Primary biliary cirrhosis

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References

  1. Maher JJ, McGuire RF (1990). "Extracellular matrix gene expression increases preferentially in rat lipocytes and sinusoidal endothelial cells during hepatic fibrosis in vivo". J. Clin. Invest. 86 (5): 1641–8. doi:10.1172/JCI114886. PMC 296914. PMID 2243137. Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  2. Herbst H, Frey A, Heinrichs O; et al. (1997). "Heterogeneity of liver cells expressing procollagen types I and IV in vivo". Histochem. Cell Biol. 107 (5): 399–409. PMID 9208331. Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  3. Lee JS, Semela D, Iredale J, Shah VH (2007). "Sinusoidal remodeling and angiogenesis: a new function for the liver-specific pericyte?". Hepatology. 45 (3): 817–25. doi:10.1002/hep.21564. PMID 17326208. Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  4. Rosmorduc O, Housset C (2010). "Hypoxia: a link between fibrogenesis, angiogenesis, and carcinogenesis in liver disease". Semin. Liver Dis. 30 (3): 258–70. doi:10.1055/s-0030-1255355. PMID 20665378. Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  5. Iredale JP. Cirrhosis: new research provides a basis for rational and targeted treatments. BMJ 2003;327:143-7.Fulltext. PMID 12869458.
  6. Calado RT, Brudno J, Mehta P; et al. (2011). "Constitutional telomerase mutations are genetic risk factors for cirrhosis". Hepatology. 53 (5): 1600–7. doi:10.1002/hep.24173. PMC 3082730. PMID 21520173. Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  7. Freed EF, Prieto JL, McCann KL, McStay B, Baserga SJ (2012). "NOL11, Implicated in the Pathogenesis of North American Indian Childhood Cirrhosis, Is Required for Pre-rRNA Transcription and Processing". PLoS Genet. 8 (8): e1002892. doi:10.1371/journal.pgen.1002892. PMC 3420923. PMID 22916032. Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  8. Freed EF, Baserga SJ (2010). "The C-terminus of Utp4, mutated in childhood cirrhosis, is essential for ribosome biogenesis". Nucleic Acids Res. 38 (14): 4798–806. doi:10.1093/nar/gkq185. PMC 2919705. PMID 20385600. Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  9. Pathology atlas, "cirrhosis".

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