Abstract
Summary
In vitro studies of the structural and metabolic integrity of dispersed parenchymal cells prepared by perfusion of isolated rat livers with collagenase and hyaluronidase were performed. A high percentage of trypan blue exclusion, a low degree of soluble enzyme release into the incubation media, and a constant rate of gluconeogenesis from lactate, as well as other precursors verified the viability and integrity of the isolated hepatocytes. Addition of 10 mM alanine, lactate, and pyruvate produced 5- to 10-fold increases in the rate of gluconeogenesis as compared to the endogenous level in cells from fasted rats. Prolongation of the fast from 24 hr up to 168 hr resulted in no significant changes in the gluconeogenic rates when expressed per gram of cell protein. This finding supports the concept that substrate presentation provides control of hepatic gluconeogenesis during prolonged fasts.
The authors gratefully acknowledge the technical assistance of Mrs. Chio-hoon Tan.
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