Image analysis of the histochemical demonstration of glucose-6-phosphatase activity in rat liver.
Activities of histochemically demonstrated glucose-6-phosphatase were quantified by computerized densitometry using image analysis in livers of female adult Wistar rats fed ad libitum and fasted 22 h before sacrifice. Mean optical densities along the path between small portal tracts and efferent hepatic venous branches and enzyme activities obtained from biochemical assays exhibited a strong positive correlation. The gradients of high periportal to lower perivenous glucose-6-phosphatase activities were analysed by profiles of optical density along these distances. Mapping optical densities in an image of equidensity range provided information on the distribution pattern of hepatic glucose-6-phosphatase over an extended two-dimensional area. This visualisation of histochemical enzyme reaction based on quantitative data supports the approach of sampling across the entire protal----hepatic venous distance disregarding parenchymal zonation. Utilities provided by computer assisted image analysis will have some bearing for further adequate quantitative description of liver function and structural make up.
D000818:Animals; D004435:Eating; D005215:Fasting; D005260:Female; D005952:Glucose-6-Phosphatase / Q000378:metabolism*; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D007700:Kinetics; D008099:Liver / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
D005952:Glucose-6-Phosphatase