[The relationship between protection of regenerating rat liver against carbon tetrachloride and change of its mitochondrial respiratory activity].

Protection of regenerating rat liver against carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) poisoning 96 h after partial hepatectomy was observed, and the respiratory activity of its mitochondria was determined by using oxygen electrode method. The results were as follows: (1) Mortality in partial hepatectomized rats (PHR) caused by CCl4 (50%, 10 ml/kg) was reduced significantly as compared with sham operated rats. (2) Following hepatic damage induced by CCl4 (50%, 5 ml/kg), the levels of serum bilirubin and sGPT in PHR were significantly lower than those in sham operated rats. Histological examination of the liver also showed a significant extent of repair. (3) Respiratory activity of regenerating liver mitochondria in PHR with or without CCl4 poisoning was higher than that in sham operated rats, and the respiratory activity went parallel with the degree of repair of histological damage, the reduction of serum bilirubin, sGPT and mortality. The results mentioned above indicate that increase of respiratory activity of regenerating liver mitochondria and resistance to CCl4 may play an important role in the protection of regenerating liver against CCl4.