The effect of insulin and hydrocortisone on the isolated rat liver.

Isolated rat livers were perfused at 35 degrees C with bovine serum albumin (40 g/l) in Krebs Ringer bicarbonate buffer, or with the same solution containing insulin (0.22 x 10(-6) mol/l), hydrocortisone (0.068 x 10(-3) mol/l), or both hormones together. Observations on the synthesis of bile and on perfusate levels of potassium, aspartate aminotransferase, urea and glucose showed that the presence of insulin and/or hydrocortisone had no beneficial effect on the perfused rat liver in vitro. There is little justification of the isolated liver.