Effects of liver regeneration on the proliferation of rat fetal hepatocytes after intrasplenical transplantation

AIM:To study the effect of environment of liver regeneration on the proliferation of rat fetal hepatocytes after intrasplenical transplantation. METHODS:Fetal hepatocytes isolated from 3-week SD rat fetuses bred were transplanted into the spleens of liver regeneration model rats with 70% partial hepatectomy. The cell cycle of the hepatocytes in the remnants liver was analyzed by flow cytometer and the density dimensions of the donor fetal hepatocytes in spleen were measured by image analysis system 7 and 30 days post-transplantation, respectively. RESULTS:Compared with the control group, the proportions of S and G₂ /M cells in the remnants liver were obviously decreased (P＜0.05), but the density dimensions of the donor fetal hepatocytes in spleen increased significantly (P＜0.05) in rats with hepatectomy 7 days post-transplantation. CONCLUSION:The environment of liver regeneration is propitious to the proliferation of fetal hepatocytes after transplantation into spleen.