A Survey of Regenerating Capacity in Patchy Liver and in Nodular Liver—with Special Reference to DNA Synthesis Estimated by BrdU Labeling Index

Laparoscopically, patchy liver and nodular liver were considered as features of regeneration of liver cells. In this study, the regenerating capacity of liver cells obtained by a liver biopsy from laparoscopically identified patchy liver and nodular liver was estimated by Bromodeoxvuridine (BrdU)-anti-BrdU method. BrdU labeling indices (L. I.), of liver cells in biopsy specimens from 6 normal livers, 12 patchy livers, and from 15 nodular livers were examined using an in-vitro labeling technique. Liver biopsy specimens obtained by a Tru-cut needle were immediately incubated for 45 min. in 0.1% BrdU solution in RPMI 1640 at 37°C under a pressure of 3 atmospheres in a mixture of 95% O2 and 5% CO2. Immunohistochemical detection of BrdU was performed by the Avidin-Biotin-Peroxidase Complex (ABC) method. The mean BrdU L. I. (±SE) of normal liver, patchy liver, and of nodular liver was 0.25±0.09%, 1.4±0.2%, and 1.7±0.4% respectively. Among the nodular liver, flat shaped ones showed a low level (0.5±0.1%), in contrast to the high level (2.4±0.7%) in the semispherical nodular liver. The BrdU L. I. of both the patchy liver and the nodular liver was significantly higher than that in the normal liver (p