Adenine Nucleotide Metabolism in Regenerative, Atrophic, and Necrotizing Processes of the Liver

Abstract

The energy metabolism of hepatic cell in regenerative, atrophic, and necrotizing processes was studied, using experimental animals subjected to the ligation of the left portal vein or the common bile duct. Major feature in the energy status of regenerating liver was a fall in energy charge with a concomitantly increasing ADP level in liver tissues and an enhancement in mitochondrial phosphorylative activity per unit of cytochrome a(+ a3) more than 35 sec-1 with glutamate as a substrate at 22°C (pH 7.4). On the other hand, the energy status of atrophic liver was characterized by the rapid increase in energy charge with concomitant decreases in ADP level and in mitochondrial phosphorylative activity less than 20 sec-1, and that of necrotizing process with marked decreases in the concentrations of adenine nucleotides in liver and in phosphorylative activity less than 10 sec-1.