THE STIMULATORY EFFECT OF A PARTIALLY HEPATECTOMIZED AUXILIARY GRAFT UPON THE HOST LIVER - OBSERVATIONS ON THE REGENERATIVE RESPONSE IN ORTHOTOPIC AND HETEROTOPIC GRAFTS

  • 1 January 1982
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 61  (10) , 362-365
Abstract
Transplantation of an intact or partially hepatectomized auxiliary liver graft has been shown to result in a marked regenerative response (as measured by thymidine kinase activity and mitotic index) in the donor liver, apparently associated with rejection. This response was also transmitted to the host (portacaval-shunted) liver which showed a 4- to 6-fold increment in regenerative response. Livers transplanted by conventional orthotopic techniques also showed a marked regenerative response. The control groups of animals (pigs) which were subjected to portacaval shunt, portacaval transposition or liver autografting showed a minimal regenerative response. The regenerative response after orthotopic transplantation is an original observation of great relevance to the overall response to liver grafting and may help partly to explain the variable responses to the procedure.