Copper and manganese concentrations in biliary cirrhosis of liver.

The presence of large amounts of copper in the liver in primary biliary cirrhosis has been confirmed; a similar increase is not found in cases of long-standing extrahepatic biliary obstruction. The serum caeruloplasmin levels are raised in primary and secondary biliary cirrhosis, but this increase does not appear to be related to the degree of increase of hepatic copper. The manganese content of the liver is slightly raised in both these conditions.The reason for the increased metal content in these circumstances cannot yet be determined, and the effects are not yet understood.