U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it's official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you're on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Skip to Main Navigation
Skip to Page Content
Skip to Atlas Navigation

Liver - Atrophy

Image of atrophy in the liver from a female F344/N rat in a subchronic study
Atrophy in a female F344/N rat from a subchronic study.
Figure 1 of 4
Image of atrophy in the liver from a female F344/N rat in a subchronic study
Atrophy in a female F344/N rat from a subchronic study.
Figure 2 of 4
Image of atrophy (normal comparison) in the liver from a female F344/N rat in a subchronic study
Normal liver in a control female F344/N rat from a subchronic study.
Figure 3 of 4
Image of atrophy (normal comparison) in the liver from a female F344/N rat in a subchronic study
Normal liver in a control female F344/N rat from a subchronic study. Higher magnification of Figure 3.
Figure 4 of 4
next arrow
View all images

comment:

Hepatic atrophy is seen with severe caloric deficits as well as when animals are exposed to high doses of xenobiotics. The size of the hepatocytes and their nuclei is reduced, with nuclei appearing more closely spaced. There is typically no evidence of glycogen accumulation, and pigmentation (most likely lipofuscin) representative of cellular breakdown may be present in Kupffer cells and hepatocytes ( Figure 2image opens in a pop-up window ).   Figure 3image opens in a pop-up window and Figure 4image opens in a pop-up window represent a normal liver.

recommendation:

Except in dramatic examples, as in this case, diagnosis of hepatic atrophy is a difficult morphologic determination and may be better assessed by organ weight. Grading of hepatic atrophy is likewise difficult. If it becomes necessary to accurately document subtle atrophic changes, a blind evaluation of the slides comparing the relevant dose groups with controls is recommended.

references:

Eustis SL, Boorman GA, Harada T, Popp JA. 1990. Liver. In: Pathology of the Fischer Rat (Boorman GA, Eustis SL, Elwell MR, Montgomery CA, MacKenzie WF, eds). Academic Press, San Diego, 71-94.

Greaves P. 2007. Histopathology of Preclinical Toxicity Studies: Interpretation and Relevance in Drug Safety Evaluation, 3rd ed. Elsevier, Amsterdam.
Abstract: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/book/9780444527714

Harada T, Enomoto A, Boorman GA, Maronpot RR. 1999. Liver and gallbladder. In: Pathology of the Mouse: Reference and Atlas (Maronpot RR, Boorman GA, Gaul BW, eds). Cache River Press, Vienna, IL, 119-183.
Abstract: http://www.cacheriverpress.com/books/pathmouse.htm

National Toxicology Program. 1994. NTP TOX-38. Toxicity Studies of Sodium Selenate and Sodium Selenite (CAS. No. 13410-01-0 and 10102-18-8) Administered in Drinking Water to F344/N Rats and B6C3F1 Mice. NTP, Research Triangle Park, NC.
Abstract: https://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/tox38abs

Thoolen B, Maronpot RR, Harada T, Nyska A, Rousseaux C, Nolte T, Malarkey D, Kaufmann W, Kutter K, Deschl U, Nakae D, Gregson R, Winlove M, Brix A, Singl B, Belpoggi F, Ward JM. 2010. Hepatobiliary lesion nomenclature and diagnostic criteria for lesions in rats and mice (INHAND). Toxicol Pathol 38:5S-81S.
Full Text: http://tpx.sagepub.com/content/38/7_suppl/5S.full

Back to top

Web page last updated on: October 12, 2018