Changes

* The nucleus remains normal.

* The nucleus remains normal.

** Nuclear changes are only seen if the degree of fatty change becomes incompatible with the continued existence of the cell.

** Nuclear changes are only seen if the degree of fatty change becomes incompatible with the continued existence of the cell.

To decide whether or not a vacuole in the cytoplasm of a hepatocyte is fat ( because there are

* In hepatocytes, it is necessary to stain for fat in order to ellucidate if a vacuole in the cytoplasm is fat-containing.

two further conditions which may produce vacuoles in hepatocytes, namely the vacuolar

** Two further conditions may produce vacuoles in hepatocytes.

hydropic degeneration mentioned before and also the accumulation of glycogen ), it is

*** [[General Pathology#Vacuolar Degeneration|Vacuolar hydropic degeneration]]

*** Glycogen accumulation

Sudan 111, Sudan 1V, and Oil Red O which stain fat varying shades of orange to red.

** Stains commonly used include Sudan 111, Sudan 1V, and Oil Red O.

It is necessary to prepare the sections differently to the routine paraffin embedding as per

*** Stain fat varying shades of orange to red.

H&E. This is because in paraffin embedding, the fat is dissolved out of the cell by the strong

** Sections must be prepared differently to the routine paraffin embedding (used e.g. in H&E staining).

solvents employed. To get over this problem, the block of tissue to be examined is frozen

*** The strong solvents used in paraffin embedding dissolve the fat out of the cell.

and sectioned in a cryostat (a cabinet containing a microtome and kept at - 20 0 C), before

*** When staining for fat, the tissue to be examined is frozen and sectioned in a cryostat before being stained.

being stained.

**** These sections are more than twice as thick as those attained by sectioning paraffin blocks

These sections are over twice as thick as those attained by sectioning paraffin blocks, and so

***** There may be some overlap of cells on the section.

there may be some overlap of cells on the section, and less clarity of the individual cells.

***** Individual cells are less clear.

====Causes of Fatty Change====

====Causes of Fatty Change====