DIFFERENT PROLIFERATIVE RESPONSES OF PERIPORTAL AND PERICENTRAL RAT HEPATOCYTES TO HEPATOCYTE GROWTH-FACTOR

Stimulation of DNA-synthesis by HGF was compared in cultured periporta l and pericentral hepatocyte populations. Periportal hepatocytes showe d a higher maximal stimulation of the BrdU labeling index than pericen tral hepatocytes (7-fold vs 4-fold), white the stimulation for total h epatocytes was in between (5-fold). The glutamine synthetase-positive hepatocytes adjacent to the central veins responded much less to HGF t han did the pericentral cells in general. These inherent differences i n the growth potential of hepatocytes from different lobular localizat ions may contribute to the enhanced growth of hepatocytes in the perip ortal zone in normal and regenerating liver. (C) 1995 Academic Press, Inc.