Fig.1.

Drawings of ductal plate malformation in comparison to normal bile duct development and corresponding liver histopathology showing congenital hepatic fibrosis (CHF) and normal portal triad. The ductal plate initially forms as a sleeve-like structure around the portal vein branches. Normal remodeling of the ductal plate involves resorption of parts of this structure and migration of the remodeled ducts centrally closer to the portal vein (right panel). The liver biopsy at 10×magnification shows a normal portal tract with sections of portal vein, bile duct, and hepatic artery. Defective remodeling, termed the ductal plate malformation, is characterized by retention of excessive numbers of bile duct remnants in their original peripheral interrupted ring-like position (left panel). The biopsy with CHF shows persistence of bile duct remnants (magnification = 40×). (Liver biopsies are from Potter’s pathology of the fetus, infant and child, 2nd edition, Ed: Gilbert-Barness E. Mosby Elsevier.)