Yasusuke Masuda, Tamami Oguma and Hiroko Kaneko
Division of Toxicology, Niigata College of Pharmacy, 5-13-2, Kami-shinei-cho,
Niigata 95O-2081, Japan
Abstract: Intrahepatic flow in rats was examined by systemic
acridine orange (AO) labeling and succeeding microscopic observations of
post-fixed livers. In controls, all periportal areas were stained evenly
throughout the liver mass, and the staining often branched between the liver
lobules in a acinous fashion. Intraportal endothelin-1 infusion caused a
marked heterogenous staining; strong staining around large portal vein branches
in the central portion of the liver, but much less in the periphery. Cirrhotic
livers exhibited overall weaker staining intensity with no accentuation
in periportal areas and restricted radial staining within pseudo-lobules.
AO infusion may help detect hepatic flow disturbance in vivo.
Keywords: Acridine orange staining in vivo, Endothelin-1, Cirrhotic liver