Primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) and primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) are the two most common and well-characterized primary cholestatic disorders. In contrast to pathologic processes derived primarily from hepatocellular dysfunction, such as viral hepatitis and autoimmune hepatitis, the primary insult in…
Cirrhosis Etiology Virtually any chronic insult to the liver, if sufficiently severe and long-standing, may result in cirrhosis. In the United States, the most common causes are hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and alcohol ingestion, whereas in Asia and sub-Saharan…
The hepatic storage disorders are genetic conditions characterized by the accumulation of toxic substances within either hepatocytes or the hepatic extracellular matrix. This deposition causes secondary tissue damage, which may eventually progress to cirrhosis, portal hypertension, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).…
Etiology Fatty liver is a generic term that refers to the accumulation of lipids within hepatocytes. This chapter focuses on nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), the most common form of fatty liver. Histologically, it resembles alcoholic liver injury but occurs…