Fig. 3

Histopathological features of hepatic tissues. A Histopathological features of hepatic tissues from 3 (a, a1), 6 (b, b1), 12 (c, c1, c2) months LF (left) and HF (right) mice (H&E staining; original magnification 10X). The microphotographs, from LF mice, show a normal liver architecture (a), scattered inflammation (b, arrow) and simple steatosis with mild inflammation (c, arrows). A wide spectrum of liver damage ranging from simple steatosis (a1) to mild steatosis (b1) and a severe steatosis with massive inflammation (c1, c2) are shown in microphotographs from HF mice. B Fibrosis is not evident in 6 months LF (a) and HF (a1) mice (Masson’s trichrome staining, original magnification, 10X). Mild fibrosis appears after 12 months in LF mice (b, arrow, original magnification, 10X), whereas 12 months HF mice show more severe fibrosis (b1, original magnification 10X), often organized in irregular thin trabeculae that border nodules with a variable number of small microscopic arteries (arrows), and a disarrangement of normal hepatic architecture with an increase of cell density and frequent steatosis (b2). Moreover, there is a certain degree of cellular atypia, rare pseudoglandular structures and steatosis (b3, H&E original magnification 40X, red box and arrows respectively). These aspects are common features of dysplastic nodules or early HCC