Although the livers of rats treated with agents known to suppress bilirubin transport appeared relatively normal on routine histological sections, cytochemical and electron microscopic preparations revealed marked changes in: (a) levels of alkaline phosphatase and apparent ATPase activities of the cell membrane at the sinusoids, bile canaliculi, and between adjacent cells; (b) morphology of the bile canaliculi such as dilatation, fragmentation, vesiculation and reduced numbers of microvilli; (c) the number of lysosomes and their distribution within the cell. Similar changes in the cytochemistry of the liver cell were induced by extrahepatic obstruction.

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