The different susceptibility of rat liver lobes to carbon tetrachloride and dimethylnitrosamine.

The extent of liver damage in rats dosed with carbon tetrachloride (CCl) or dimethylnitrosamine (DMN), by intragastric or intraperitoneal injection, has been compared in the different lobes. The level of activity of DMN-demethylase in the lobes has also been measured as an index of the activity of the microsomal enzymes. DMN-demethylase activity was greater in the left and left median lobes than in the right and right median lobes. The extent of liver damage (disruption of the basophilic bodies and necrosis) was greater in the right than in the left lobes of animals dosed with CCl but was greater in the left lobes of animals given DMN. The route of injection made no difference. The distribution of liver damage may be explained by the distribution of microsomal enzymes.