Folate metabolism in the rat liver during regeneration after partial hepatectomy

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Abstract
1. Folate metabolism was studied during the early phases of liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy in rats accustomed to eating during the first 8h of a daily 12h dark period. 2. The content of 5-CH3–H4folate was drastically decreased during the first hours of regeneration. 3. The total HCO–H4folate coenzymes showed a constant decrease during the first 3 days of regeneration, and a continuous interconversion between 5-HCO–H4folate and 10-HCO–H4folate. 4. 10-HCO–H4folate synthetase, serine hydroxymethyl-transferase and 5,10-CH2–H4folate dehydrogenase activities were relatively low during the first hours after the operation, and increased only several hours later. 5. The increase in enzyme activities showed a stepwise pattern, apparently due to an interaction between the regeneration process and the controlled feeding schedules.