Localization of Myofibroblast and Mast Cell in a Rat Liver Infected with Capillaria Hepatica

A rat (Rottus norvegicus) infected with C. hepatica was trapped incidentally. At necropsy, grossly yellowish-white nodules were scattered on the liver surface. Microscopically, granulomatous and fibrotic nodules containing eggs and/or adult worms of C. hepatica were detected in the liver. Septal fibrosis forming pseudolobules was observed as a diffuse change throughout the liver. In double staining with immunostaining of -SMA and toluidine blue, myofibroblasts and mast cells were generally observed within the fibrous septa with mast cells being along the myofibroblasts. In this case, we hypothesized that myofibroblast and mast cell might playa role in septal fibrosis of rat liver induced by C. hepatica infection.