The implantation of sepharose beads in mouse livers as an aid in the study of hepatic schistosomal fibrosis.

An experimental model of schistosomal portal fibrosis is described. Sepharose beads the size of schistosome eggs, loaded or not with soluble egg antigen (SEA) from Schistosoma mansoni, are injected into the coecal vein of C3H/Sn mice and become embolized in the liver. Only SEA-coated beads evoke a granulomatous reaction; this is enhanced by simultaneous priming of the mice with spleen cells from Schistosoma mansoni-infected syngeneic animals. The fibrosis, which ensues around the beads, is stable and is much more evident after priming. Preliminary collagen tissue immunotyping reveals the presence of collagen deposits of types I and III collagen. Type IV collagen remains unchanged in the portal tracts. The model appears to be well suited for studies of the pathogenesis of portal fibrosis.