Comparative anatomical, histological, and histochemical study of liver in human and domestic rabbit

This study was conducted to compare the anatomical histological and histochemical structure of human liver with the liver of domestic rabbits to evaluate the quality of liver of rabbit to be used as a model of mammalian species in the experimental researches. Ten liver biopsies of human (Group I) and same number of liver specimens of domestic rabbit (Group II) were used in this study. The liver specimens were processed and stained with Harris Hematoxylin and Eosin stain and Masson's Trichrome stain and examined under light microscope. For histochemical examination, Periodic Acid Schiff's, Best's carmine and Gomori's Alkaline Phosphatase stains were used. Histomorphometric measurements were done to compare some parameters between the two groups. Transabdominal ultrasound examination was done to compare ultrasonic appearance of the liver in both groups. The work was done from May 2018 to December 2018. The study revealed more lobulated liver of domestic rabbits, hexagonal lobules are mingled with each other in rabbit's liver compared to human, larger hepatocytes, with higher percentage of binucleated hepatocytes and thicker capsule in the human's liver than in the rabbit's liver. Histochemical results revealed less carbohydrates, less glycogen content with less activity of alkaline phosphatase in the cytoplasm of hepatocytes of the human's liver<strong>.</strong> The ultrasound image revealed denser hyperechoic diaphragm and fibrous capsule<strong>, </strong>non-homogenous low echogenicity of parenchyma of the liver of human compared to the rabbit's liver. We conclude that the basic anatomical and histological structure is more or less similar in the human's liver andliver of domestic rabbit but the few differences might be related to the evolutional variations among mammals thus the value of the liver tissue of domestic rabbit to be used in the experimental researches is significant.