The effect of a long-term CCl4 action on the DNA content of rat liver cell nuclei. A cytophotometric study.

Inbred CFY male and female rats were given subcutaneous injections of carbon tetrachloride solution in sunflower oil for 12 weeks. Cytophotometric DNA determination was made on liver cell nuclei. Cell nuclei from normal liver showed modal peak of DNA in the diploid range. In the treated animals there were modal peaks of DNA in diploid and tetraploid regions as well as remarkable numbers of over-tetraploid nuclei. The hepatic lesions classified histologically were more severe in males than in females. The ploidy distributions were not related to the histopathological features and sex.