Sulfated and nonsulfated bile acid in urine of patients with hepatobiliary diseases was analyzed by using an Amberlite XAD-2 column, a Sephadex LH-20 column and gas chromatography.
In urine of patients with various hepatobiliary diseases, 3β-hydroxy-5-cholenoic acid was identified by gas chromato-mass spectrometry. The presence of 3β-hydroxy-5-cholenoic acid reflects an altered pathway of cholesterol catabolism besides the main pathway which involves the action of microsomal enzyme system.
The percentage of 3β-hydroxy-5-cholenoic acid to total urinary bile acid was 15.7±11.5% in patients with hepatoma, 4.6±5.3% in metastatic cancerof the liver with jaundice, 9.6±9.9% in metastatic cancer of the liver without jaundice, 3.3±3.2% in acute hepatitis, 1.7±2.2% in chronic hepatitis, and 2.2±2.4% in liver cirrhosis. However, overlap of these percentage values between hepatoma and various hepatobiliary diseases was observed, so that significance in differential diagnosis for hepatoma is questionable.

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Hepatic blood flow, bile production and morphological lesions of the liver were comparatively examined in the normal liver of rats (Group A), choline deficient diet induced cirrhosis of the liver (Group B) and cirrhosis of the liver without fatty metamorphosis (Group C). In the group B, in which the sinusoid was markedly narrowed by the swollen liver cell containing a lot of large fat droplets, the hepatic blood flow and bile production were markedly decreased. Definite recovery of these parameters were seen in the group C, in which the fatty metamorphosis was subsided and the sinusoidal space was opened again. These data suggested that the sinusoidal stenosis resulted from fatty metamorphosed swollen liver cell was one of the important causative agent leading to an increase in hepatic vascular resistance in fatty cirrhosis of the liver.

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To elucidate mechanisms of liver parenchymal iron deposition in chronic hepatitis and liver cirrhosis, with special attention to intra-hepatic factors, study was carried out of blood circulation in the regionS of parenchymal iron deposition by reconstruction of branches of portal and hepatic veins.
As result, patterns of parenchymal iron deposition in lobules change from regular and diffuse distribution to irregular and regional distribution, as distortion of lobular architecture develops.
These iron depositted areas all correspond to neighboring regions of portal terminal branches, all of which have the best blood circulation. In the cases with regional iron deposition, mainly by the extent of sinusoidal space and the degree of flattness and tortuosity of veins due to parenchymal regeneration, there appear regions with good and poor blood circulation, of which the iron deposition appears specifically in regions with good blood circulation.
As mechanisms of iron deposition, favorable blood circulation can be assumed.

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For the purpose of elucidating immunological mechanisms of the onset of viral hepatitis and its course, 116 cases with various liver diseases and 15 normal subjects were investigated. T, B cell populations, lymphoblastogenesis sensitized with PHA in tissue culture, peripheral lymphocyte counts and serum γ-globulin level were examined. The correlation between the results obtained and HBs antigen (Ag) were studied.
Results obtained were follows.
1) Cellular immunity was found to be depressed significantly in patients with liver cirrhosis (P=0.05) and those with chronic hepatitis with sublobular hepatic necrosis (P=0.05) when compared with control.
2) The correlation between T cell counts and its function were not simple in various liver diseases. Especially, the variety was marked in those of liver cirrhosis.
3) No obvious correlation between T cell population and HBs-Ag was detected. T cell counts in HBs-Ag positive liver diseases were more than those in HBs-Ag negative liver diseases. It is still uncertain whether those are due to decreased sensitivity against the specific antigen or not.

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On the twenty-two HBs antigen positive blood donors, whose liver histology was clearified, immunological studies were performed. Histologically, all cases showed mild abnormalities. Some cases showed the mild abnormalities of the blood biochemistry. But the titers of serum HBs antigen were high and not so fluctuable, and the overt liver diseases were not revealed. The slight increase of IgG, IgM and the slight decrease of C3, C4 might reflect the slight reaction of B-lymphocytes to HB-virus. The reactions of T-lymphocytes to HBs antigen were not proved by MIF-assay. The relative decrease of Tlymphocytes and the relative increase of B-lymphocytes were observed in small numbers of the cases, but not conclusive. The supressed PHA response was observed in many cases. The serum inhibitors seemed to be attributable to this phenomenon. Autoantibody was detected in some cases.
In the HBs antigen asymptomatic carriers, the complete tolerance to HB-virus might be not established, and the immunological abnormalities, which might follow the persistent tolerant infection of HB-virus, were observed.

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Age matched study was carried out on the hepatic function including HBs-antigen between medical staff and control group.
Medical staff was consist of the peoples of Mie university Hospital, control group was the office staff of the same hospital.
1) Exposure rate was 20.4% in medical staff, control groups was 10.4% (p<0.01). Especially, among doctors' group, exposure rate was elevated. Also, exposure rate in surgeons' group was higher than physicians' group.
2) Positive rate of HBs antigen in medical staff increased as much as their aging.
3) HBs antibody positive rate was 17.6% in medical staff, and in control group, it was 9.2% (p<0.01).
4) The prevalence of the HBs antigen carrier was 8.0% in medical staff and 2.0% in the office staff.
5) Abnormality of serum examination for hepatic function was little statistical significance among HBs antigen, antibody positive and both negative group.

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