Recent developments in liver pathology

SummaryProgress in liver histopathology continues to be made, as evidenced by recent publications in all areas of hepatobiliary disease. Multinucleated giant hepatocytes, known to be associated with autoimmune and drug hepatitis, now have been seen in chronic hepatitis C with or without HIV infection and in patients with infection by human herpesvirus-6A. The new term Mallory-Denk body (formerly the Mallory body) recognizes the substantial contributions to this field by Professor Helmut Denk of Austria. The problems of fatty liver and hepatic iron overload have been addressed in studies highlighting their complex pathogenesis. Genomic and immunohistochemical analysis of liver tumors provides important diagnostic information, particularly regarding the use of glypican-3 in the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma.