Histology of the liver

The embryology, gross morphology, and histology of the normal human liver - the single largest organ in the human body - are described. It is emphasized that liver biopsy specimens must be processed with special care in order to obtain optimal sections. Immunohistologic studies of liver tissue have the potential to yield more information than electron microscopy. In surgical and autopsy liver specimens, some histologic alterations may be prominent, but they often have little significance. On the other hand, some morphologic changes, particularly in needle biopsy specimens, are frequently subtle, but may be of diagnostic importance. The pathologist must be familiar with these histologic variations from the normal liver.