Glycogen-Liver

Glycogen , a large glucose polymer, is a frequently observed paraplasmic inclusion. It can be found in the cytoplasm of many cells in the form of fine or coarse granules.  This figure shows the central region of a liver lobule. The center represents a cut through the central vein 1 . The red stain in the radially oriented liver cells corresponds to glycogen particles. Between the cells are the liver sinusoids 2 . Note the uneven distribution of the glycogen granules  . The liver cell nuclei are not stained. It should also be noted that glycogen particles are not stained in routine histology preparations. With hematoxylineosin (HE) staining, they leave small empty spaces in the red-tinged cytoplasm. However, their identification can successfully be accomplished with the Best carmine stain and the periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) reaction.

1 Central vein of a liver lobule

2 Liver sinusoids

References

Kuehnel, W.(2003). Color Atlas of Cytology, Histology, and Microscopic Anatomy. 4^th edition . Institute of Anatomy Universitätzu Luebeck Luebeck, Germany . Thieme Stuttgart · New York .