Figure 2

Protein of the basal lamina and other ECM structural constituents are localized similarly across rat hepatic injury protocols. In the sham, BDL, and AAF/PHx protocols, (a-d) Collagen1a1, (e-h) laminin, and (i-l) nidogen1 stained the portal vein endothelia and closely circumscribed cells in the biliary tree and HPC response. Collagen1a1 deposition was additionally observed in the parenchyma. In the canals of Hering, staining for HAI-1 often extended beyond the extracellular matrix (inserts in c,g,j). (d,h,l) The Dlk1 expressing subpopulation of cells in the AAF/PHx protocol was always in contact with the extracellular matrix. In the BDL and AAF/PHx protocols, (n-p) Ki67-positive cells were observed both within (n,o) the HAI-1- and (p) the Dlk1-positive cell populations. Ki67-positive cells were, however, rarely detected in (m) the sham protocol. In the sham protocol, (q) desmin prominently stained the portal vein endothelia and the portal artery, while faintly marking occasional star-shaped cells near the biliary tree or in the parenchyma. Regardless of injury type, in both the (r) BDL and (s,t) AAF/PHx protocols, numerous desmin-positive star-shaped cells closely escorted the biliary tree and HPC response.