Abstract
A mutant strain, Nagase analbuminemic rat (NAR), was established from Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats, and is inherited as an autosomal recessive analbuminemic trait. NAR is characterized by an extraordinarily low serum albumin level and hyperlipidemia. Despite the absence of serum albumin, total serum protein level in the NAR is similar to that of SD rats, because the absence of serum albumin is compensated by increase of globulin fractions. The carcinogenic effects of many chemical carcinogens were examined in NAR and control SD rats, because albumin is known to be a carrier protein of many endogenous and exogenous compounds including bile acids, steroid hormones, drugs and toxins as well as carcinogens. As a result, NAR has been found useful for studies on the pharmacological and/or physiological function of albumin and on the mechanism of carcinogenesis.
