Cirrhosis of the liver. Gross specimen of a slice of tissue from a liver affected by primary biliary cirrhosis. Cirrhosis is irreversible scarring of the liver due to a chronic disorder. The scarring causes the mottled appearance of the liver tissue. In this case, the cause is a biliary disorder, a malfunction of bile production and excretion. This causes a build-up of bile pigments in the skin and eyes, resulting in the yellow colour of jaundice. The symptoms can be treated with drugs, but the only effective cure is a liver transplant.