Contractile fibroblasts in chronic alcoholic cirrhosis.

Contractile fibroblasts were sought via electron microscopy in liver tissue from 12 patients with chronic alcoholic cirrhosis, and from 3 noncirrhotic patients. In 9 of the 12 cirrhotic livers, contractile fibroblasts (myofibroblasts) were seen containing the classic features of 60-80 A microfilament bundles with electron-dense bodies along with prominent microtubules. The remaining three cirrhotic liver specimens had fibroblasts containing microfilament bundles but without electron-dense bodies. Myofibroblasts were not found in any of the noncirrhotic livers. Just as in other types of scars, myofibroblasts are probably the active contractile force in the scarring and fibrosis which characterize chronic alcoholic cirrhosis.