Hirosumi Oide, Ronald G. Thurman – 1 October 1994 – Ito cells (fat‐storing cells) have been implicated in mechanisms of liver fibrosis, and transforming growth factor‐β1 is a key factor that stimulates collagen production by Ito cells. Moreover, Ito cells are reported to possess contractile proteins and to contract with ligands. We recently reported the presence of L‐type voltage‐operated Ca2+ channels in Kupffer cells. In this study, we examined whether Ito cells contain Ca2+ channels and also evaluated the effect of transforming growth factor‐β1 on Ca2+ channels.

Raymond S. Koff – 1 October 1994

Albert Maroto, Angels Ginès, Joan Saló, Joan Clària, Pere Ginès, Luis Anibarro, Wladimiro Jiménez, Vicente Arroyo, Juan Rodés – 1 October 1994 – Time‐velocity wave‐form analysis of Doppler signals from small intrarenal arteries allows estimation of intrarenal arteriolar vascular resistance. Among the various indexes proposed, the resistive index is the most widely used for this estimation.

Neus Agell, Maria Jesus Pujol, Antonia López‐Girona, Marta Bosch, Jose Luis Rosa, Oriol Bachs – 1 October 1994 – We have investigated the messenger RNAs expressed from the three calmodulin genes during rat liver regeneration. The results revealed that all the calmodulin transcripts increased from 8 hr after a partial hepatectomy, although differences in the timing and the level of expression from the three genes were observed. Calmodulin I transcripts peaked at 16 hr, whereas calmodulin II and calmodulin III progressively increased from 8 to 24 hr.

1 October 1994

Qin Su, Yan‐Fang Liu, Jin‐Feng Zhang, Sui‐Xiang Zhang, De‐Fang Li, Jia‐Ji Yang – 1 October 1994 – Expression of insulin‐like growth factor II in two human hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines and in hepatitis B, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma in 419 cases were investigated, and its relationship with the expression of hepatitis B virus x gene was studied by means of immunohistochemical and electron microscopic techniques. The results demonstrated that hepatocellular carcinoma cells (SMMC 7721 and QGY 7703) in culture could express insulin‐like growth factor II.

Steven M. Strasberg, Todd K. Howard, Ernesto P. Molmenti, Martin Hertl – 1 October 1994 – Initial poor function and primary nonfunction are important problems in clinical transplantation. The incidence of primary nonfunction is about 6% and that of initial poor function is about 15%. Grafts with initial poor function have a higher graft failure rate in the first 3 mo after transplantation. Severe steatosis and cold preservation in University of Wisconsin solution for over 30 hr will alone cause primary nonfunction.

Stefano Milani, Cecilia Grappone, Giulia Pellegrini, Detlef Schuppan, Hermann Herbst, Antonio Calabró, Alessandro Casini, Massimo Pinzani, Calogero Surrenti – 1 October 1994 – We have analyzed the distribution, gene expression and cellular origin of undulin, a large extracellular matrix glycoprotein associated with mature collagen fibrils, in human liver by immunohistochemistry, Northern‐blot analysis and in situ hybridization. In normal liver, undulin was distributed as densely packed fibers in portal tract stroma, and as fine fibers along sinusoids, and around central veins.

Kenneth Jensen, Christian Gluud – 1 October 1994 – To aid understanding of markers of disease and predictors of outcome in alcohol‐exposed systems, we undertook a literature survey of more than 700 articles to view the morphological characteristics and the clinical and experimental epidemiology of the Mallory body. Mallory bodies are filaments of intermediate diameter that contain intermediate filament components (e.g., cytokeratins) observable by conventional light microscopy or immunohistochemical methods, identical in structure regardless of initiating factors or putative pathogenesis.

J. Michael Henderson, Norman D. Grace – 1 October 1994