[H-3]thymidine incorporation into whole liver as an alternative to [H-3]thymidine incorporation into DNA as a parameter of cell proliferation in regenerating liver tissue in rats

OBJECTIVE: To monitor liver regeneration following partial hepatectomy, liver cell proliferation can be measured by assaying in vivo [H-3]thymidine incorporation into liver cell DNA. We hypothesized that [H-3]thymidine incorporation into whole liver tissue parallels [H-3]thymidine incorporation into liver cell DNA, both in high proliferating and low proliferating liver.

STUDY DESIGN: Liver cell proliferation in rats after partial hepatectomy or a sham operation was studied by measuring incorporation of [H-3]thymidine into various fractions of liver tissue on days 1, 2, 3, 4 and 10 after surgery.

RESULTS: [H-3]thymidine incorporation into whole with DNA-specific [H-3]thymidine incorporation into regenerating (r > .80, P <.0001) and nonregenerating liver (r > .69, P <.005), [H-3]thymidine incorporation into DNA was

CONCLUSION: [H-3]thymidine incorporation into whole liver tissue is a simple technique that can be used for the study of liver cell proliferation after partial hepatectomy in rats.