MORPHOMETRIC ANALYSIS AND REACTION TO ALLYL ALCOHOL OF LIGHT AND HEAVY HEPATOCYTES

Abstract

Rat liver hepatocytes isolated by perfusion with collagenase were divided into two groups light hepatocytes (LH) and heavy hepatocytes (HH).
The following parameters were measured: mean density-LH 1.10, HH 1.13, mean cell volume (MCV) -LH 3550μm3, HH 3250μm3, G-6-Pase peak-HH higher than LH.
The electron microscopic morphometry revealed higher volume density of mitochondria in HH. The electron microscopic morphometry also revealed higher volume density of SER in LH.
Allyl alcohol, known to produce cellular necrosis primarily of periportal hepatocytes, markedly reduced the viability of cultured HH, while the effect on cultured LH was less marked.
These results suggest that LH are derived primarily from pericentral-vein hepatocytes and HH from periportal hepatocytes.