Effects of Applied Electric Fields on Bile Salt Secretion by in Situ Rat Liver

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Abstract
The effects of weak external electric fields (1.5-3 V, 30-60 .mu.A) on bile salt secretion by in situ rat liver were studied after interruption (experiment A) and restoration (experiment B) of the enterohepatic bile salt cycle. In experiment A, bile salt tracer was injected in bolus 3 hr after application of the electric field (14C-TC, 14C-CA, or 14C-DCA). In experiment B, 36 .mu.moles/h of TC or CA were infused 150 min after application of the electric field until the end of the experiment. A bolus (14C-TC and 14C-CA) was injected 170 min after application of the electric field. The hepatic taurine pool was prelabled in both experiments. Application of electric fields delayed secretion of 14C-TC into the bile. This delay was longer at 60 .mu.A than at 30 .mu.A. Neither field had any effect on 3H-tauroconjugation. Electric fields also led to the formation of osmiophilic globules in hepatocytes and, especially in experiment B, collagen fibers in intracellular spaces. Thus electric fields may provoke changes in plasmic membranes probably in connection with those in the extracellular matrix.

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