[The significance of HBsAg and HBcAg levels in the liver and their relation to histopathologic activity].

The results of histological and immunohistological studies on the liver biopsies from patients with positive serum HBsAg, HBeAg, HBVDNA, and HBVDNAp showed: 1. In addition to the inclusion body like, marginal, diffuse and membranous patterns of HBsAg, we found that marginal and diffuse patterns of HBsAg may appear within one hepatocyte and this is named as transitional pattern. A preliminary suggestion about the process of formation and evolution of different patterns of HBsAg and HBcAg was raised. 2. There is a relationship between HBV replication and the activity of hepatitis. Different patterns and distributions of HBAg affect the lesion of the liver significantly. 3. According to the morphology of HBsAg and HBcAg, we suggest to divide their patterns into the following two categories: The first includes the diffuse and membranous patterns of HBsAg and the cytoplasmic and membranous HBcAg; these are related to the replication of HBVDNA. The second includes inclusion body like and marginal patterns of HBsAg with and without nuclear pattern of HBcAg; these probably reflect the integration of HBVDNA to the host genome.