Isolated small rat hepatocytes express both annexin III and terminal differentiated hepatocyte markers, tyrosine aminotransferase and tryptophan oxygenase, at the mRNA level.

We recently showed that annexin III is expressed in isolated small rat hepatocytes but, not in parenchymal hepatocytes. In the present study, we used reverse transcription polymerase chain analysis to examine the annexin III mRNA level in isolated small rat hepatocytes and parenchymal hepatocytes. Annexin III mRNA was detected in isolated small hepatocytes, but not in isolated parenchymal hepatocytes, confirming the presence of annexin III expression in isolated small rat hepatocytes at the mRNA level and indicating that the absence of annexin III expression in isolated parenchymal hepatocytes is due to the absence of annexin III mRNA. Furthermore, we examined the mRNA level of tyrosine aminotransferase and tryptophan oxygenase, two terminally differentiated hepatocyte markers. mRNA for these markers was detected in both parenchymal hepatocytes and small hepatocytes.