Figure 4

Measurement of the number of PCNA-positive cholangiocytes in liver sections from rats that (immediately after BDL) were treated with NaCl, RAMH, thioperamide maleate (H3R antagonist) or histamine in the absence or presence of thioperamide maleate for 1 week. In BDL rats, chronic RAMH administration induced a decrease in the number of PCNA-positive (see arrows) cholangiocytes compared to NaCl-treated rats. Administration of histamine to BDL rats significantly decreased the number of PCNA-positive cholangiocytes compared to BDL rats treated with NaCl; however, the decrease in the number of PCNA-positive cholangiocytes (by histamine administration alone) was less than that observed in BDL rats treated with RAMH (arrows). Histamine inhibition of the number of PCNA-positive cholangiocytes was partly blocked by thioperamide maleate; however, in the BDL rats treated with histamine+thioperamide maleate, the number of PCNA-positive cholangiocytes was still significantly lower than that of BDL rats treated with NaCl. In BDL rats treated with thioperamide maleate, the number of PCNA-positive cholangiocytes was slightly higher (although not significant) than that of BDL rats. Data are mean±s.e.m. of five cumulative values from 10 randomly selected portal areas. ^*P<0.05 vs corresponding value from BDL rats treated with NaCl. ^#P<0.05 vs corresponding value from BDL rats treated with RAMH. Original magnification, × 20.