Minor contribution of hepatocytes to collagen production in normal and early fibrotic rat livers
Itsuro Ogata, Satoshi Mochida, Tomoaki Tomiya, Kenji Fujiwara – 1 August 1991 – Hepatocyte contribution to hepatic collagen production in vivo was estimated in rats, based on the fact that ornithine is used for protein synthesis in the liver as arginine after conversion by way of the urea cycle only by hepatocytes. From rats given a mixture of [14C] ornithine and [3H]arginine, hepatic collagen and serum albumin were obtained. The hepatocyte contribution was calculated from the 14C and 3H in arginine purified from collagen and albumin by high performance liquid chromatography.