Morphologic variants of alcoholic hyalin.

Liver biopsies obtained from 24 patients with alcoholic liver disease were studied by light and electron microscopy. Comparisons of the same cells in adjacent sections revealed that alcoholic hyalin is a fibrillar deposit without limiting membranes and is readily distinguished from giant mitochondria. This characteristic fibrillar structure was encountered in hepatocytes, ductular cells and in benign and malignant hepatomas. Three distinct morphologic forms of alcoholic hyalin were observed: a) bundles of filaments in parallel arrays, b) clusters of randomly oriented fibrils and c) a granular or amorphous substance containing only scattered remains of fibrils. Closely associated with alcoholic hyalin and often found along its entire circumference, were bundles of fine filaments in parallel arrangement of much smaller size. These occasionally displayed variations in orientation and merged with the filaments in the alcoholic hyalin body. Similar fine filaments were observed, in considerable excess, in cells which did not contain alcoholic hyalin. According to our findings, the fine filaments and the significantly larger filaments in alcoholic hyalin could be parts of a contractile system elaborated by host cells during the course of hepatic injury.