Residence time distributions of solutes in the perfused rat liver using a dispersion model of hepatic elimination: 1. Effect of changes in perfusate flow and albumin concentration on sucrose and taurocholate.

The residence time distributions of sucrose and taurocholate have been determined from the outflow concentration-time profiles after bolus input into an in situ perfused rat liver preparation. The normalized variance (and the dispersion number) appeared to be independent of perfusate flow rate (10 to 37 ml/min) and perfusate albumin concentration (0.5%). The apparent volume of distribution for sucrose appeared to increase with flow rate but was unaffected by the concentration of albumin (0-5%) present in the perfusate. The changes in taurocholate availability with flow rate were adequately accounted for by the dispersion model, whereas taurocholate availability-protein binding changes required an albumin-mediated transport model to be used in conjunction with the dispersion model.