Stereology shows that damaged liver recovers after protein refeeding.

Objective: The aim of the present study was to investigate the putative effects of a low-protein diet on the three-dimensional structure of hepatocytes and determine whether this scenario could be reversed by restoring the adequate levels of protein to the diet.

Methods: Using design-based stereology, the total number and volume of hepatocytes were estimated in the liver of mice in healthy and altered (by protein malnutrition) conditions and after protein renutrition.

Results: This study demonstrated a 65% decrease in the liver volume (3302 mm for the control for undernourished versus 1141 mm for the undernourished group) accompanied by a 46% reduction in the hepatocyte volume (8223 μm for the control for undernourished versus 4475 μm for the undernourished group) and a 90% increase in the total number of binucleate hepatocytes (1 549 393 for the control for undernourished versus 2 941 353 for the undernourished group).