Mitochondria-rich hepatocyte

Mitochondria-rich hepatocytes, frequently referred to as oncocytic hepatocytes, are liver parenchymal cells characterized by an abnormal and excessive accumulation of mitochondria within their cytoplasm (PathologyOutlines, 2023). While healthy hepatocytes naturally contain a high density of mitochondria (approximately 1,000–2,000 per cell) to support the liver's high metabolic demands, the term specifically describes a pathological or compensatory state where the cytoplasm appears granular and eosinophilic under light microscopy (StatPearls, 2023). This cellular phenotype is a hallmark of certain liver diseases, most notably fibrolamellar hepatocellular carcinoma (FL-HCC) and oncocytic variants of hepatocellular carcinoma, but it can also occur as a reactive 'oncocytic change' in chronic hepatitis or cirrhosis (PubMed, 2021). Because this term describes a cell type or histological finding rather than a discrete protein, enzyme, or receptor, it is not considered a therapeutic target in the traditional pharmacological sense. However, these cells are of significant interest in drug development as primary sites for mitochondrial toxicity; drugs such as valproic acid, amiodarone, and certain antiretrovirals can disrupt the mitochondrial respiratory chain within these cells, leading to severe drug-induced liver injury (DILI) (LiverTox, 2020). Consequently, understanding the biology of mitochondria-rich hepatocytes is essential for diagnostic pathology and for the safety profiling of small molecule therapeutics.

Other names

Oncocytic hepatocyteOxyphilic hepatocyteMitochondrion-rich liver cellAskanazy-like hepatocyte

Not applicable as this is a cell type/histological state rather than a molecular target.