Effect of ischemia-reperfusion on the heterogeneous lobular distribution pattern of glycogen content and glucose-6-phosphatase activity in human liver allograft

In order to examine glucose metabolism in liver grafts after cold ischemia and reperfusion, the heterogeneous lobular distribution pattern of glycogen content and glucose-6-phosphatase activity was studied using histochemical methods. The characteristic heterogeneous lobular distribution pattern of glycogen and glucose-6-phosphatase was maintained after preservation and re perfusion. However, it appeared that glycogen content decreased in both per iportal and centrilobular hepatocytes after reperfusion. The glycogen decre ase was higher in periportal hepatocytes. Glucose-6-phosphatase activity wa s maintained after reperfusion in most of the cases in periportal hepatocyt es. In centrilobular hepatocytes, more cases showed a decrease in enzyme ac tivity. It is suggested that ischemia-reperfusion mainly affects the glycog en content in both periportal and centrilobular hepatocytes and that centri lobular glucose-6-phosphatase activity is more sensitive to ischemia-reperf usion injury than periportal hepatocytes.