title: Postnatal development and sublobular distribution of cytochrome P-450 in rat liver: a microphotometric study.
abstract: To study the process of expression of cytochrome P-450 (P-450) in hepatocytes during development, we measured microphotometrically the P-450 content in periportal and perivenular hepatocytes of male rats during peri- and postnatal growth. From Day 19 of gestation to Day 5 after birth, P-450 content in both periportal and perivenular hepatocytes increased markedly (periportal 1046%; perivenular 819%). The content in periportal hepatocytes remained unchanged from 5 to 20 days of age, and increased slightly (24%) from 20 to 45 days of age. However, the content in perivenular hepatocytes increased progressively (105%) between 5 and 45 days of age. The difference in P-450 content became apparent between periportal and perivenular hepatocytes after 7 days of age. The content in periportal or perivenular hepatocytes reached the adult level at 45 days of age. Therefore, the perinatal period is the time at which a marked increase in P-450 occurs in hepatocytes throughout the liver lobule. The subsequent period before weaning is the time at which the sublobular heterogeneous distribution of P-450 appears. The period after weaning is the time at which a slight increase in P-450 content in periportal hepatocytes and a marked increase in the enzyme in perivenular hepatocytes takes place.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Kansai Medical University, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Asaka
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kanamura
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000201:enzymology; D008099:Liver / Q000196:embryology / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000254:growth & development; D008297:Male; D008862:Microsomes, Liver / Q000201:enzymology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System