Bile ductular cells and the phenotypic heterogeneity of the population of hepatic non-parenchymal epithelial cells induced in rats by chemical carcinogens.
Single doses of diethylnitrosamine, N-hydroxy-2-acetylaminofluorene or N-methyl-N-nitrosourea were administered to rats, before or after obstruction of the common bile duct, and liver sections were stained for alpha-fetoprotein, albumin and glucose-6-phosphatase. In these animals, cells expressing hepatocytic traits were not observed in the resulting expanded population of non-parenchymal epithelial cells. A derivation of non-parenchymal epithelial cells with hepatocytic traits from bile ductular cells is not supported, but not completely ruled out, by these findings. In rats with an obstructed bile duct and administered a single carcinogen dose, serum alpha-fetoprotein was slightly increased, to levels comparable with those occurring after a partial hepatectomy. In these rats, and in partially hepatectomized rats, the cellular source of serum alpha-fetoprotein was not apparent, since no alpha-fetoprotein-positive cells were detected in their liver.
D000418:Albumins / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D001652:Bile Ducts / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects; D002273:Carcinogens / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004052:Diethylnitrosamine / Q000494:pharmacology; D004847:Epithelial Cells; D004848:Epithelium / Q000187:drug effects; D005952:Glucose-6-Phosphatase / Q000032:analysis; D006498:Hepatectomy; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D006881:Hydroxyacetylaminofluorene / Q000494:pharmacology; D008099:Liver / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008770:Methylnitrosourea / Q000494:pharmacology; D010641:Phenotype; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000032:analysis
D000418:Albumins; D002273:Carcinogens; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins; D004052:Diethylnitrosamine; D006881:Hydroxyacetylaminofluorene; D008770:Methylnitrosourea; D005952:Glucose-6-Phosphatase