“肝衰竭”这一术语与肝昏迷并非同义词。肝衰竭和充血性心力衰竭一样,它可以有若干不同阶段或程度,肝昏迷则是肝衰竭的终末阶段;由于肝脏机能的复杂性,故它不像心力衰竭那样地容易为我们所认识与准确地及时确诊。按目前所知,肝脏有三种不同的细胞:即实质细胞、胆管上皮细胞和枯否氏(Kupffer)细胞。枯否氏细胞属于网状内皮系统,其功能类似脾脏、骨髓或身体别处的相当细胞,它主要是由吞筮细胞所组成,可以参与抗体形成及胆色素形成。也有某些报告说枯否氏细胞可以合成球蛋白,所以它在肝脏疾患时是引起高球蛋白血症的一部份原因。胆管上皮细胞主要功能是沟通胆汁由肝实质细胞到肝外胆管系统的作用,胆管上皮细胞在肝脏疾患时可能是血清碱性磷酸酶增高的起源。但这两种细胞 The term “liver failure” is not synonymous with hepatic coma. Hepatic failure, like congestive heart failure, can take on several different stages or degrees, and hepatic coma is the terminal stage of liver failure. Because of the complexity of the liver function, it is not as easily understood as with heart failure Accurate and timely diagnosis. As far as is known, there are three different types of cells in the liver: parenchymal cells, biliary epithelial cells, and Kupffer cells. Kupffer cells belong to the reticuloendothelial system, its function is similar to the spleen, bone marrow or other cells elsewhere in the body, it is mainly composed of swallowed cells, can participate in the formation of antibodies and poritis. There are also reports that Kupffer cells can synthesize globulin, so it is part of the cause of hypergammaglobulinemia in liver disorders. The primary function of biliary epithelial cells is to communicate the role of bile from hepatic parenchymal cells to the extrahepatic bile duct system and biliary epithelial cells may be the source of elevated serum alkaline phosphatase in liver disorders. But these two kinds of cells