To observe the ultrastructure of hepatocytes and organelles of hepatitis C patients with different degrees of inflammation, and to summarize the ultrastructure characteristics of hepatocytes of hepatitis C patients with different degrees of inflammation.

Six cases of mild/moderate/severe hepatitis C liver tissue samples (2 cases each) confirmed by liver biopsy pathology were collected, and the normal donor liver tissues in 2 cases of liver transplantation was selected as a negative control. The characteristics of light microscope were compared, and the ultrastructure characteristics of liver organelles under an electron microscope in each case were summarized.

Light microscope observation: mild chronic hepatitis C was mainly caused by hepatocyte edema and degeneration. Moderate chronic hepatitis C is characterized by portal inflammation with lymphatic follicular formation. In severe chronic hepatitis C, the hepatic lobules are prone to spotty necrosis of hepatocytes, hyperplasia of the fibrous tissues and formation of arcuate fibers or pseudo lobules. Electron microscopic observation: compared with the normal hepatocytes, rough endoplasmic reticulum was decreased and smooth endoplasmic reticulum was increased in the cytoplasm of hepatocytes in mild chronic hepatitis C patients. Moderate chronic hepatitis C was characterized by slight increase of lipid droplets in the cytoplasm of liver cells, partial lipid droplet fusion, and focal collagen fibers in the cytoplasm. In the hepatocytes of severe chronic hepatitis C, mitochondrial aggregation, fusion and degeneration could be seen, glycogen was increased, and lipid droplets were further vesicular lipid degeneration and fusion. Inclusion body formation could be seen in the nucleus.

HCV hepatocytes with different degrees of inflammation have different ultrastructural characteristics.