Isolated Rat Liver Preparation. Bile Production and Other Basic Properties.

Summary (1) It has been shown that the isolated, perfused rat liver can be maintained under conditions which permit the continuous production of bile for periods up to 25 hours. (2) Livers thus maintained preserve an apparently normal histology up to the terminal phase. (3) The reticulo-endothelial cells of such perfused livers retain their ability to remove particulate matter from the perfusate stream. (4) Bromsulfalein is extracted from the perfusate by the isolated liver, and is re-excreted into the bile in high concentration and in several separable components, analogous to those found in the intact animal. (5) Data have been presented to permit a comparison of the conditions of operation and the performance of the isolated rat liver, and the liver in situ in the intact animal. (6) Details of the method of preparation, the perfusion pump, and the perfusion media have been presented, together with specific data concerning the course of typical experiments. (7) The range of applicability of the preparation in its present state of development and directions of further exploration have been discussed.