A comparison of age-related changes in bromsulfophthalein metabolism of the liver and isolated hepatocytes
bookPart
Changes in the functional capacity of individual hepatocytes with age may play an important role in functional aging changes of the whole liver. The bromsulfophthalein (BSP) metabolism was chosen as a determinant of the functional capacity of the whole liver and of isolated hepatocytes. The metabolism of BSP by the rat liver in vivo was determined by means of the BSP retention test. The test conditions were chosen in such a way that the whole liver was expected to function maximally. A decrease in the capacity of the liver to remove BSP from the blood with age, significantly between 3 and 12 months, was observed. The BSP storage capacity of hepatocytes isolated from rats of differ ent ages was also determined under optimum incubation conditions for BSP uptake. It was found that the storage of BSP by the isolated hepatocytes decreased with age during the first year of life. The decrease in the BSP storage capacity of the isolated cells with age fully parallelled the observed decrease in the capacity of the whole liver to remove BSP. It can be concluded that, for the BSP clearance of the whole liver, a change in the functional capacity of the liver with age can be at least partly attributed to a change in the function of the individual hepatocytes.
TNO Identifier
355030
Publisher
Elsevier
Source title
Liver and aging
Editor(s)
Kitani, K.
Place of publication
S.l.
Pages
131-141
Files
To receive the publication files, please send an e-mail request to TNO Repository.