In the present work, we analyze the effects produced by cold ischemia
on the liver using Eurocollins solution (EC). This evaluates the funct
ion of slices obtained from preserved livers in EC (livers from adult
female Wistar rats were used), which were perfused with Krebs-Henselei
t solution (KH) for 10 min. and then with cold EC. These livers were s
tored at 4-degrees-C in EC for 7, 24 and 48 hours. At the end of each
period of preservation, the livers were sliced and they were incubated
1 hour at 37-degrees-C in KH. The following parameters were determine
d: tissular water distribution and electrolytes content (K+ and Na+),
LDH release at the incubation medium, thiobarbituric acid reactive sub
stances (TBARS) and urea synthesis. The slices obtained from preserved
livers (7 hours), showed an increase of tissular water, expressed by
the expansion of the extracellular space, a progressive diminution of
tissular K+ content and an increase in TBARS and the LDH release with
the increment of the preservation time. No changes in ureogenesis rate
were observed. These results suggest that the cold ischemia in EC, in
periods that exceed 5 hours, cause, changes in the membrane permeabil
ity and severely affects the mechanism of regulation of the tissular v
olume and may compromise the functional viability of the organ to be t
ransplanted.