It has long been known that the liver has remarkable regenerative property. However, the mechanism by which this process of regeneration is initiated and controlled, is still unknown. Recently, hepatotrophic portal blood factor theory has been agreed by many authors. It can be summarized that there is a specific trophic factor in the portal blood which initiates or facilitates liver regeneration.
The factor is not destroyed but merely diluted in systemic circulation and remains available to the liver even after complete diversion.
To evaluate the effect of hepatic, regeneration in rats when the portal blood was completely diverted into systemic circulation, a method for portacaval transposition immediately following 70% hepatctomy was performed and compared with merely 70% hepatectomized rats and control groups on hepatic glycogen, TCA extractable glycogen, DNA, protein, and regenerating liver weight for periods up to postoperative 17 days to 23 days.
The following results were obtained
1) Portacaval transposition with 70% hepatectomized rats showed remarkable hepatic regen-eration but delayed increase than 70%, hepatectomy group. Comparison of these 2 groups showed significant difference.
2) Hepatic glycogen and TCA extractable glycogen contents were prominently decreased in the portacaval transposition with 70% hepatectomized rats than control and 70% hepatectomy groups.
.3) Hepatic protein contents were slightly decreased in both the portacaval transposition with 70% hepatectomized rats and merely 70% hepatectomy groups than control group, but not significant difference between them was observed.
4) Hepatic DNA contents were increased in both the portacaval transposition with 70% hepatectomized rats & 70% hepatectomy groups than control group but no significant difference between control and portacaval transposition with 70% hepatectomy groups was observed.
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