The regeneration of cirrhotic liver after partial hepatectomy: a study using the rat carbon tetrachloride-induced cirrhotic model.

There are conflicting data regarding the ability of the liver to regenerate after partial hepatectomy in animals and humans with cirrhosis. The purpose of this study was to document liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy in a carbon tetrachloride rat model of cirrhosis. Liver cirrhosis was produced by weekly intragastric gavage with carbon tetrachloride in 80 adult male rats. Vehicle-gavaged rats (n = 24) served as healthy controls. Liver regeneration was documented 1, 2, 3 and 7 days after partial hepatectomy on the basis of restitution of liver mass and [3H] thymidine incorporation into liver DNA. Restitution of liver mass after partial hepatectomy was significantly decreased in carbon tetrachloride-treated rats at 1 and 7 days compared with the vehicle-treated control rats. In cirrhotic rats, restitution of liver mass at 1, 2, 3 and 7 days did not differ between 33% and 70% hepatectomy. Hepatic DNA synthesis, however, was significantly impaired at 1 and 2 days in cirrhotic rats after 70% hepatectomy and also at 1 day after 33% hepatectomy compared with non-cirrhotic rats. The results of this study indicated that live regeneration did occur after partial hepatectomy in carbon tetrachloride-treated rats but was impaired in comparison with that in vehicle-treated control rats.