S Noda, S Masumi, M Moriyama, Y Kannan, M Ohta, T Sugano, J Yamate – 1 August 1996 – The response of hepatic macrophages and the effects of platelet‐ activating factor (PAF) in perfused liver were studied during production of experimental cirrhosis induced by thioacetamide (TAA) in female Sprague‐Dawley rats. Within 4 weeks of TAA administration (300 mg/L drinking water), an increase in hepatic macrophage population and enlargement in cell size preceded the alterations characteristic of cirrhosis.

S E Raper – 1 August 1996

Y Zhang, M Kanzaki, H Mashima, T Mine, I Kojima – 1 August 1996 – Activin A is an autocrine inhibitor of initiation of DNA synthesis in rat hepatocytes. The present study was conducted to characterize the cell‐surface receptors for activin A in cultured rat hepatocytes by measuring 125I‐activin A binding. Scatchard analysis of 125I‐activin A binding indicated the existence of two classes of binding sites with apparent Kd values of 3 × 10−.10 mol/L and 3.5 × 10−.9 mol/L.

M Sterneck, S Gunther, T Santantonio, L Fischer, C E Broelsch, H Greten, H Will – 1 August 1996 – The pathogenesis of fulminant hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is not well understood. The aim of this study was to investigate whether there is an association between specific viral variants and a fulminant disease course. The entire HBV genomes from the serum of eight patients with fulminant HBV infection and one patient with fulminant hepatitis during reinfection after liver transplantation were investigated.

T Schricker, G Albuszies, H Weidenbach, K Beckh, H Ensinger, T Anhäupl, P Radermacher, J Vogt, G Adler, M Georgieff – 1 August 1996 – The cirrhotic liver has been shown to be resistant to the actions of various glucoregulatory hormones. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of epinephrine on hepatic glucose metabolism in cirrhotic patients. Thirteen cirrhotic and eight healthy subjects were studied.

G Juan, R Gil‐Benso, J E O'Connor, R C Callaghan – 1 August 1996 – Recently, we have developed a new and fast kinetic method for assessing mitochondrial membrane potential by flow cytometry, based on the quantitation of the initial rate of rhodamine 123 (Rh123) uptake by living cells. This test has proved suitable to detect metabolic and toxic effects on mitochondria. To characterize energy metabolism in a rat hepatoma cell line (N13), we applied this method to assess several metabolic pathways that eventually generate mitochondrial membrane potential.

T Miyamura – 1 August 1996

1 August 1996

E Windler, J Greeve, H Robenek, F Rinninger, H Greten, S Jäckle – 1 August 1996 – Initial binding and subsequent endocytosis of small and large chylomicron remnants by rat liver were compared. Small and large chylomicrons were obtained from mesenteric lymph of glucose‐ or fat‐fed rats, respectively. The low‐density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor was up‐ and down‐regulated as shown by LDL receptor messenger RNA (mRNA). The rate of removal of small chylomicron remnants by isolated perfused rat livers followed closely the activity of the LDL receptor.

T Knittel, T Janneck, L Muller, P Fellmer, G Ramadori – 1 August 1996 – During liver fibrogenesis, Ito cells are regarded as the principal matrix synthesizing cells and transforming growth factor β 1 (TGF‐β 1) appears to be the main fibrogenic mediator. This study analyzed the effects of TGF‐β 1 on Ito cell activation, proliferation, and on the expression of a set of matrix proteins, antiproteases, and TGF‐β receptors both in “early cultured” and “culture‐activated” Ito cells.