[Changes in the intercellular contacts of hepatocytes in the ontogeny of inbred mouse strains with a high (CBA) and low (C57BL) frequency of spontaneous hepatomas].

Some parameters of cellular contacts between hepatocytes were studied in ontogenesis of the inbred mouse lines with the high (CBA) and low (C57BL) frequency of spontaneous hepatomas. In both the lines the force of intercellular linkage of the hepatocytes drops down by the end of the animal's life. But in the C57BL mice this characteristics increases sharply between the 5th and 10th days after birth, whereas in the CBA mice no such increase is observed. During the whole postnatal development the force of linkage in the CBA mouse liver is thrice lower than in the C57BL mouse liver. The stability of contacts between the hepatocytes in the C57BL mice is not affected during ontogenesis, as well as in the CBA mice, except in the males at the age of 15-24 months when the stability of contacts decreases. This parameter decreases still more in the tumour. Since the CBA males are characterized by a higher frequency of spontaneous hepatomas, a suggestion is put forward to the effect that the primary disturbance of the stability of contacts reflects the early changes characteristic for the spontaneous liver carcinogenesis.