[Origin of Kupffer macrophages in the regenerating liver].

Male Wistar rats were injected intraperitoneally with H3-thymidine (5 muC/g). Two thirds of the liver was removed one hour later. Sham operated animals served as control. A moderate elevation of the labeled nuclei indices of hepatocytes (LNI) was seen by the third hour, increased significantly by the ninth, and especially by the 24th hour after the operation. The indices decreased by the 48th hour after partial hepatectomy. In 3 hours the LNI was 10 times higher than in the control; in 9 hours it reached the maximum, decreasing by the 24th and 48th postoperative hours. The origin of Kupffer's macrophages in the regenerating liver is discussed.