Morphology of portal mast cells in rat liver after cold preservation/normothermic reperfusion: Rat livers were cold preserved (0°C) during 48 h in UW solution with the addition of 500 μM GSNO to improve liver preservation. GSNO is a S-nitrosothiol, which releases the vasodilator Nitric Oxide that acts on hepatic microvascular system protecting the liver from preservation/reperfusion injuries. Apart from hepatocytes and non-parenchymal cells, the resident cells, such as mast cells, appear to be involved in the pathogenesis of these injuries. Any increment in oxygen-free radicals induces mast cell degranulation and these alterations promote granulocyte infiltration during graft reperfusion in vivo.
Rat liver slices were stained with Giemsa of Lennet. Mast cells (M) were observed granulated and incremented in number and size in portal spaces (PS) that showed interstitial edema (*), after normothermic reperfusion (Figure A).
Figure B showed a magnification of the area delimitated with the rectangle in Figure A. In this picture, interstitial edema (*) and red granules of secretion around mast cells (arrows) can be seen.
Damages on mast cells were avoided replacing the concentration of 500 μM GSNO for one of 100 μM.
