Figure 4

Immunoelectron microscopic findings. a: Distribution of D2-40 immunoreactivity at electron microscopic level in control liver tissue. Electron micrograph of immunogold-silver enhancement staining of a liver lymphatic vessel (Ly) in control liver sample. Localization of D2-40 is mainly on the plasma membrane of both luminal and abluminal surfaces of endothelial cells (arrowheads). b: Distribution of D2-40 immunoreactivity at electron microscopic level in Child A-LC liver tissue. Electron micrograph of immunogold-silver enhanced staining of a liver lymphatic vessel (Ly). c: Distribution of D2-40 immunoreactivity at electron microscopic level in Child C-LC liver tissue. D2-40 immunoreactivity is present along luminal and abluminal portions of the cell membrane (arrowheads) and is pronounced along cell processes. PV: portal venule; a: capillary artery; Ly: lymphatic vessel; P: portal vein, PV(e): portal vein, c(e): capillary arterial endothelial cell, and Ly(e): lymphatic endothelial cell. Scale bars: 2 μm. d: Morphometric analysis of immunogold-labeled D2-40. D2-40 labeling on lymphatic capillary endothelial cells is low in control liver tissue (3.2 ± 0.2/2 μm). In Child A-LC liver tissue, D2-40-1 labeling on lymphatic capillary endothelial cells (11.2 ± 0.3/2 μm) is significantly higher (p < 0.05) compared to control. In Child C-LC liver tissue, D2-40 labeling on lymphatic capillary endothelial cells (18.2 ± 0.4/2 μm) is significantly higher (p < 0.01) compared to control and also significantly higher (p < 0.05) compared to Child A-LC.