Features

Cellular Components

• Hepatocytes and bile ductal epithelial cells
• Other cells that may be seen:
– Kupffer cells (resemble macrophages)
– Endothelial cells (spindle cells outlining trabeculae)

Architecture

• Hepatocytes are typically in trabecular arrangements (usually 2 - 3 cell thick)
• Bile duct cells are in 2D flat cohesive sheets

Cellular features

• Hepatocytes
– Large round to polygonal cells
– Low N:C ratio
– Abundant granular cytoplasm
– May have intracytoplasmic pigment or lipid

Nuclear features

• Hepatocytes
– Nuclei are round centrally located
– Variation in nuclear size common
– Binucleation/ multinucleation common
– Intranuclear cytoplasmic inclusions may be seen
– Nucleoli visible to prominent

Inclusions and Pigment

• Hepatocyte cytoplasmic inclusions
– Hyaline globules (dense round eosinophilic globules, PAS+)
– Mallory bodies (ropy fibrillar, hyaline inclusions surrounding nucleus)
– Councilman bodies (apoptotic mummified hepatocytes, dense and eosinophilic)
• Hepatocyte cytoplasmic pigments
– Lipofuscin (wear and tear pigment, blue• green on DQ, red orange on Pap)
– Bile (peri-or intracanalicular, blue green in DQ and Pap)
– Hemosiderin (coarse, blue• green on DQ and golden brown on Pap and refractile)