HBc and HBs antigen in hepatocytes.

The relationship between the electron microscopical structures and the immunofluorescent appearance of HB antigen found in the hepatocytes of patients with HB antigenemia was carefully studied, with the purpose to clarify the nature of those structures. The nuclei of hepatocytes, containing numerous virus-like particles, showed positive immunoflourescence by antiserum against the core of Dane particles. The areas in which filamentous structures were observed in the cisternae of endoplasmic reticulums and hyaloplasma, corresponded to orcein or aldehyde-fuchsin positive substances in the light microscope, whereas direct relationship between filamentous structures and HBs antigen was still obscure. Accordingly, it may be concluded that virus-like particles in the nucleus correpond to core and filamentous structures in the cytoplasma correlate with coat protein of hepatitis B virus.