Jose J. G. Marin, Emilio R. Barbero, Maria C. Herrera, Arantxa Tabernero, Maria J. Monte – 1 November 1993 – Liver cell proliferation is a complex process that can be affected by a large number of factors such as bile acids, which have been reported to be associated to the pathogenesis of liver cancer. In this work, bile acid–induced modifications in DNA synthesis by regenerating perfused rat liver were investigated. Two‐thirds hepatectomy was carried out 24 hr before perfusion of livers with recirculating, erythrocyte‐free Krebs‐Henseleit solution.

Herman Steen, Hans Smit, Almar Nijholt, Marjolijn Merema, Dirk K. F. Meijer – 1 November 1993 – To investigate whether hepatobiliary transport of organic cations is under regulatory control, we studied transport of tri‐n‐butylmethylammonium in the isolated perfused rat liver and in isolated rat hepatocytes. Transport was investigated in the presence of modulators of the protein kinase C and the cyclic AMP second‐messenger system.

Fred D. Ledley – 1 November 1993

Winita Hardikar, Frederick J. Suchy – 1 November 1993 – Transport systems involved in uptake and biliary secretion of bile salts have been extensively studied in rat liver; however, little is known about these systems in the human liver. In this study, we investigated taurocholate (TC) transport in canalicular and basolateral plasma membrane vesicles isolated from 15 human livers (donor age 6–64 yr). ATP stimulated the uptake of TC into both canalicular and basolateral human liver plasma membrane vesicles (cLPM and bILPM, respectively).

1 November 1993

Joshua Schafer, Mark S. D'Almeida, Harvey Weisman, W. Wayne Lautt – 1 October 1993 – Hepatic capacitance responses were compared in sham‐operated and 14‐day bile duct–ligated cats under pentobarbital anesthesia. Both groups were subjected to splenectomy and had the anterior hepatic nerve plexus sectioned to allow stimulation; the posterior plexus was intact. Blood volume compensation for hemorrhage was reduced in the bile duct ligation group compared with the control group: The liver compensated for 20.1% and 10.6% of blood loss, respectively.

Masaharu Sakamoto, Takato Ueno, Motoaki Kin, Hiromasa Ohira, Takuji Torimura, Sadataka Inuzuka, Michio Sata, Kyuichi Tanikawa – 1 October 1993 – The contractile response of cultured Ito cells to endothelin‐1 and substance P was examined. Ito cells were obtained from rat liver by perfusion with collagenase, followed by separation through centrifugal elutriation, and were cultured for 24 hr. The area of the Ito cells was measured after treatment with endothelin‐1 or substance P at various concentrations in the culture medium.

Kazunori Fukuda, Masamichi Kojiro, Jen‐Fu Chiu – 1 October 1993 – We report here that transforming growth factor‐β1 induces cell death in the Morris hepatoma cell line McA‐RH7777. We assessed the type of cell death induced by transforming growth factor‐β1 in this hepatoma cell line on the basis of morphological and biochemical characteristics. Dying cells, which detached from the cell monolayer, showed morphological characteristics of apoptosis (programmed cell death) such as chromatin condensation, nuclear disintegration and cellular fragmentation into clusters of eosinophilic globules.

P. J. Johnson, Ian G. McFarlane, Convenors, On Behalf of the Panel – 1 October 1993

Ian R. Mackay – 1 October 1993