A correlation between liver plasma membrane-associated stimulatory activity (PMASA) and experimental cirrhosis formation

In the course of experimental CCl 4-induced cirrhosis, an increase of the membrane-associated factor stimulating 3T3 cells' proliferation in vitro was observed. Gel filtration showed an approximate molecular mass of 150 kDa. Extraction of growth stimulatory activity by liver perfusion in situ demonstrated a peripheral plasma membrane protein localization. The activity increased with an increasing number of CCl 4 treatments, reaching a maximum at the tenth intoxicatio, faster than proliferation of connective tissues. Cessation of treatment caused of decrease in activity to the level of untreated liver, although the amount of fibroblast-like cells remained large, which is evidence in favour of an hepatocyte origin of the factor.