The clinical significance of α-fetoprotein was studied on 395 cases of various diseases according to radioimmunoassay method.
As a result, it was found that α-fetoprotein appeared not only in primary hepatic cell cancer but also in the other various hepatic diseases: 95% in primary hepatic cell cancer, 40% in cholangioma, 24% in liver cirrhosis, 38% in chronic hepatitis (active type), 75% in fluminant hepatitis, 100% in subacute hepatitis.
α-fetoprotein was found ranging from 20mμg/ml to 3000mμg/ml in the positive cases of the acute hepatitis or chronic hepatitis and liver cirrhosis.
We thought especially in this group that there were α-fetoprotein positive cases with severe hepatic necrosis in the perilobular area.
In the animal experiment, α-fetoprotein was measured by radioimmunoassay method in the sera of rats with liver damage caused by CC14.
As a result α-fetoprotein concentration was found in these serums varied from 40mμg/ml to 200 mμg/ml.
The α-fetoprotein (synthesis) may be rapidly regenerated by the hepatic parenchyma cells. More directly, this was supported by immunofluorescence studies of α-fetoprotein in the liver of adult rats after CC14 damage.
Furthermore, the specific localization of α-fetoprotein was observed in the normal hepatic parenchyma cells.
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