Expression Analysis of ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters ABCB11 and ABCB4 in Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis and Variety of Pediatric and Adult Cholestatic and Noncholestatic Liver Diseases

Figure 3

Shikata’s orcein and immunohistochemical staining for ABCB4 and ABCB11 in FFPE liver biopsies and explants of PSC patients with different stages of chronic cholestatic liver disease. Orcein granules are stained dark pink in hepatocytes (black arrows). ABCB4 and ABCB11 stained in brown; nuclei stained with hematoxylin in blue. PSC patients with mild disease progression (Nakanuma stage 2) demonstrate focally areas of periportal (zone 1) hepatocytes with strong ABCB4 and ABCB11 expressions at the bile canalicular membrane, whereas PSC patients with advanced disease progression and extensive upregulation of ABCB4 and ABCB11 expression were seen at the bile canalicular membrane of mostly all hepatocytes (zones 1–3). Scale bar = 20 μm.