Fig. (6).

Representative photomicrographs of mucin gel as well as habits of liquid crystals, solid cholesterol crystals, and gallstones as observed in fresh gallbladder bile of CCK knockout mice by phase contrast and polarizing light microscopy: (A) non-birefringent amorphous mucin gel; (B) arc-like (possible anhydrous cholesterol) crystal; (C) tubular crystal; (D) tubular crystal fracturing at the end to produce plate-like cholesterol monohydrate crystals; (E) numerous aggregated non-birefringent liquid crystals and few fused liquid crystals; (F) agglomerates of typical cholesterol monohydrate crystals, with 79.2° and 100.8° angles, and often a notched corner; (G) disintegrable amorphous sandy stones surrounded by mucin gel, with individual plate-like cholesterol monohydrate crystals projecting from the edges; (H) true gallstones displaying rounded contours and black centers from light scattering/absorption. All magnifications are ×800, except Figure 6(F and G) ×400 and Figure 6H ×200, by polarizing light microscopy. Reprinted, with permission, from Ref. [65].