Synthesis of Serum Albumin in Isolated Rat Liver Perfused by a Synthetic Medium with Fluorocarbon FG–80 Emulsion as Oxygen Carrier

Abstract

A fluorocarbon emulsion FC‐80 has been used as a substitute for erythrocytes in a synthetic nutrition medium in in vitro perfusions of isolated rat livers. The rate of albumin synthesis was estimated. After the first hour albumin was synthesised at a constant rate of 0.52 + 0.17 mg/h per 100 g of the body weight of the liver donor. 14C‐lysine was incorporated into the circulating proteins linearly after the first hour. Other parameters tested were: levels of circulating proteins, urea nitrogen, glucose, glutamic‐pyruvic transaminase, excretion of bile, weight changes of the liver, and level of glycogen in liver tissue after perfusion. Histological examinations were also performed. The function of the liver was comparable with the findings of other investigators who used whole blood as the perfusate. As far as we are aware this is the first time that a rat liver has been maintained in good functional condition for over 6 hours during in vitro perfusions with a synthetic medium that included an erythrocyte substitute. The method seems to offer great advantages for the study of metabolic processes.

The Evaluation of Synthetic Oxygen Carriers by Perfusion of Isolated Rat Liver

“…Lioerperfusion. The technique and apparatus employed were described by Miller et al (1951), with some modifications (Novakova et al 1974). Liver donors were male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 180-230 g, maintained on commercial laboratory chow pellets.…”

“…Emulsions of perfluorochemicals (FC) have been used by several research teams (Triner et al 1970, Brown and Hardison 1972, Ohyanagi et al 1973, Goodman e f al. 1973 andNovakova et al 1974) as substitutes for the oxygen carrying function of erythrocytes in perfusions of isolated rat liver. In these studies different metabolic functions of livers perfused with a mediuni including FC, with a medium alone or with erythrocytes were compared.…”

“…For the evaluation of the oxygen carrying function of FC emulsions from the metabolic function of the liver such a flow rate and affluent PO, are optimal in which the FC is a limiting factor for sufficient oxygen supply.Emulsions of perfluorochemicals (FC) have been used by several research teams (Triner et al 1970, Brown and Hardison 1972, Ohyanagi et al 1973, Goodman e f al. 1973 andNovakova et al 1974) as substitutes for the oxygen carrying function of erythrocytes in perfusions of isolated rat liver. In these studies different metabolic functions of livers perfused with a mediuni including FC, with a medium alone or with erythrocytes were compared.Such comparisons of metabolic functions were expected to give answers to the following questions: Does addition of FC increase the oxygen carrying capacity of the medium and to what extent?…”

A Perfluorochemical Oxygen Carrier (Fluosol‐43) in a Synthetic Medium Used for Perfusion of Isolated Rat Liver

“…As there are several types of perfluorochemicals, additives and ways of preparing emulsions it is necessary to investigate the properties of these emulsions with respect to their application as gas-carriers in biological systems.The Green Cross Corporation in Japan has developed a new type of perfluorochemical gas-carrier called FIuosol-43. In our laboratory the perfusion method for isolated rat liver was adapted for testing perfluorochemicals as synthetic gas-carriers (Novakova et al 1974(Novakova et al , 1975(Novakova et al , 1976. The flow rate and the partial pressure of oxygen in the perfusion medium were adjusted so that the gas-carrier was the limiting factor of the oxygen supply, and that without the gas-carrier the liver became hypoxic.…”

Some Functions of Canine Liver Perfused <i>ex vivo </i>with Bloodless Fluorocarbon Emulsion

“…Rat livers (10,12) and canine livers (1) were perfused with a bloodless perfusate (10) or with a fluorocarbon emulsion added with washed erythrocytes (1, 12).…”