Histological and Histochemical Description of the Liver of the Guinea Pig (Cavia porcellus)

While studies have been conducted in the liver of different species, there is little research on the guinea pig, a rodent of easy handling and used as an experimentation animal. The aim was to describe in the guinea pig liver, some histological and histochemical aspects, which would allow experimental studies to be carried out. We used seven male guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus) obtained from the Bioterium of the Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile. Samples were fixed in buffered formalin and processed for inclusion in paraplast. Serial thick of 5 mu m were stained for histological and histochemical studies. The liver presented a lobular architecture vague borders and portal tracts consisting of vascular structures and canalicular bile. Parenchymal cords were composed of hepatocytes with a cuboidal to polygonal appearence, and radially distributed from the central lobular vein. It showed the presence of glucogen liver cells, and hemosiderin neutral mucins. The average diameter of hepatocytes was 17.25 mu m and the nucleous was of 7.31 mu m. The guinea pig liver shows similarities with other species, however, to determine morphological parameters, age, environmental conditions of animals, feeding, etc. must be considered.