الفهرس | Only 14 pages are availabe for public view |
Abstract This present thesis proved that carbon tetrachloride is a well characterized hepatofibrogenic agent. It exert its action through induction of a phenotypic change of hepatic stellate cells along its course of treatment. These cells will be transformed and differentiated into fibroblast and myofibroblasts which are responsible for liver fibrosis. Evaluation of such liver fibrosis immunohistochemically provides a new insight about the behaviour of Ito cells in expression of GFAP and ? SMA. GFAP could be considered a new specific marker for quiescent Ito cells which allow their distinction from other hepatic mesenchymal cells. On the other hand ? SMA is a marker of activated Ito cells where its expression was pronounced with progression of the hepatic fibrosis. So, it could be a reliable marker to identify its earliest stages. The role of vitamin A in delaying or suppressing such liver fibrosis depending on its antioxidant effect. It minimizes the degree of parenchymal cell damage, increases GFAP and decreases ? SMA expression by Ito cells and finally restores lipid content of such cells keeping them in a quiescent lipocytic phenotype. However, the dose of vitamin A should be put into consideration to obtain the benefits of its antioxidant role and avoiding its hepatotoxicity. |