Most cells in the liver are epithelial cells called hepatocytes. Their nuclei appear as blue or purple round structures within the pink-stained cytoplasm. In many hepatocytes, a small, strongly stained round structure can be seen inside the nucleus. This structure is the nucleolus.
This histological section was stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E), the most widely used staining combination for examining tissue sections under a light microscope. Hematoxylin stains the nuclei and nucleoli blue to purple, whereas eosin stains the cytoplasm mainly pink. The different staining properties of these dyes make it possible to distinguish the various cellular components clearly.
Blood normally flows through the narrow spaces between the hepatocytes. In this histological section, however, these spaces appear empty because the tissue was prepared using intravascular perfusion fixation, a technique in which the fixative is introduced through the blood vessels.
To estimate the size of the structures visible in the section, use the scale bar at the bottom of the figure. It represents a length of 2 μm (micrometers).
Liver. Hematoxylin and eosin. Medium magnification.
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