Damage of rat liver sinusoidal endothelium by ethanol.

Hepatic blood in normal rats is separated from the space of Disse and hepatocytes by an ultrastructural sieve formed by pores in the sinusoidal endothelium. This sieve has previously been shown to shield hepatocytes from circulating chylomicrons, the largest of the lipoproteins, which transport most triglycerides of dietary origin. In the present paper it has been shown that the chronic ingestion of ethanol leads to a significant enlargement of pores within the sieve, increasing them from a normal median diameter of 100 nm to 120 nm. A decrease in the normal sieving of perfused labelled large and small chylomicrons has also been noted. It is postulated that the decreased shielding of hepatocytes from large chylomicrons may be a factor in the pathogenesis of alcoholic fatty liver.