Modulation of hepatic biotransformation and biliary excretion of bile acid by age and sinusoidal bile acid load.

Pericentral hepatocytes excrete bile acids more slowly and biotransform them more than periportal cells. This may reflect adaptation to low pericentral bile acid concentration or may be intrinsic. We studied two models in which pericentral bile acid concentrations are high: the 72-h choledocho-caval shunt (CCS) rat and the 3- to 4-wk-old rat. Livers were perfused forward or backward to assess periportal or pericentral hepatocyte function. Taurodeoxycholate (TDC) was infused at 32 nmol X min-1 X g liver-1, and a bolus of [3H]TDC was given to assess metabolism and excretion of bile acids. In CCS livers perfused backward, pericentral cells resembled periportal cells of controls in that time to excrete 50% of administered [3H]TDC (t50) was reduced by two-thirds and [3H]TDC biotransformation was reduced by about half. In young livers t50 was half that of adult livers when perfused backward. Biotransformation, however, was not reduced. Young livers biotransformed more than adult controls for any given residence time of bile acid in the liver. We conclude that the difference between pericentral and periportal cells as regards bile acid processing is adaptive. Livers from young rats biotransform more bile acid than those from controls under similar conditions.