Dietary effect of different high-fat diet on rat liver stereology

Background/aims: Dietary habits are considered to be responsible for a fatty liver. The aims of this work are to study the effects of different lipid sources on rat hepatic structure. Methods: Twenty 21-day-old to 18-month- old male rats were fed one of the following diets: soybean oil, canola oil, lard and egg yolk ( LE), or canola oil+lard and egg yolk (CA+LE). The blood serum triglyceride samples were analyzed. The following hepatic biometry and the stereology parameters were determined: densities of volume (V-v) and surface (S-v), absolute volume (V) and surface (S) of the hepatocytes (h), fat globules (g), and hepatic sinusoids (s), and numerical density of the hepatocytes (N-v[h]). Results: The largest values of V-v[h], S-v[h], V[h], and S[h] were found in the LE group. However, the largest values of V-v[ g], S-v[ g], and S[ g] were found in the CA+LE group, and the smallest values of those parameters were found in the LE group. On the other hand, V[ g] was larger in the CA+LE group. V-v[s] and V[s] were larger in the LE group and smaller in the CA+LE group. Conclusion: Long-term administration of canola oil or soybean oil resulted in similar effects on hepatocytes, hepatic sinusoids, and fat globules. Long-term administration of lard and egg yolk attenuates hepatic fat accumulation and increases hepatic sinusoids. The administration of the canola oil and lard and egg yolk mixture increases hepatic fat accumulation, reducing the hepatic sinusoids.