THE EFFECTS OF HEPATIC ANOXIA ON THE RESPIRATION OF LIVER SLICES IN VITRO

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Abstract
A prepn. of the rat is used, in which the blood supply to the liver is provided only by the hepatic artery. The effects of hepatic anoxia of varying duration (induced by clamping the hepatic artery) on the O2 uptake of liver slices in the Warburg apparatus were studied. The rate of O2 uptake of the liver tissue from fasted rats is diminished to 40-50% of normal after only 15-30 mins. of circulatory arrest; longer periods of anoxia (up to 2 hrs.) result in a further slower decline of O2 uptake to about 25% of the normal rate. If the hepatic circulation is first arrested for a given period and then restored for 2 hrs. by release of the arterial clamp, the rates of O2 uptake of the liver tissue are inversely proportional to the previous period of anoxia. After 15 mins. of circulatory arrest followed by 2 hrs. of recovery, the O2 uptake is nearly normal; there is a marked degree of recovery of the tissue respiration even after 2 hrs. of anoxia, although the absolute rate of O2 uptake is still very low. The value of the prepn. as a means of studying the resistance of the liver to anoxia and the factors important in recovery from anoxia, independently of other complicating factors in shock, is discussed.

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