ABSTRACT
The term ‘‘cholestasis’’ means the stasis of bile and is derived from the histological appearance of bile plugs within the lumen of the bile canaliculus. Ultrastructural findings characteristically demonstrate dilatation of the canalicular space, loss of microvilli on the luminal membrane, thickening of the microfilaments in the pericanalicular space, and adjacent accumulation of vesicular structures, many of which are filled with lipid and bile pigment. Characteristically, substances normally secreted into bile, such as bilirubin, bile acids, and cholesterol, are elevated in the serum. In addition, enzymes and protein found in bile, such as alkaline phosphatase, 5-nucleotidase, γ-glutamyltranspeptidase, leucinaminopeptidase, and immunoglobulin A, generally are increased in the serum of patients with cholestasis (1,2).
