The isolation and characterization of a bile ductule cell population from normal and bile-duct ligated rat livers.

The separation of bile ductule cells from Kupffer and sinusoidal endothelial cells in a suspension of non-parenchymal cells has been attempted. Bile duct ligation was performed so that a four-fold increase in the total number of non-parenchymal cells isolated from rat liver was attained and the proportions of both Kupffer and bile ductule cells were elevated. Rate zonal centrifugation, through a Ficoll gradient, partially separated the cells into two populations: (1) small cells (4-6 micrometer diameter) probably originating from the sinusoidal endothelium and (2) larger bile ductule and Kupffer cells (8-12 micrometer diameter). A more successful separation was achieved by isopycnic centrifugation through a linear metrizamide gradient. Bile duct ligation (14 days) altered the distribution of cells on the gradient and the peak containing bile ductule and Kupffer cells partially subdivided into the separate cell types. Antiserum raised against the bile ductule fraction was shown to be compatible with that raised against common bile duct tissue. gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase and leucine aminopeptidase activity were preferentially located in the rate zonal fraction containing bile ductule cells. Their specific activity increased after bile duct ligation as did that of beta-glucuronidase, which was raised in all cells.