[Effect of an antioxidant (4-methyl-2,6-ditertburylphenol) on mitotic division of mouse liver cells].

The highest increase in the mitotic index (MI) reticuloendothelial cells observed in the experiment after antioxidant treatment coincided in time with the maximal MI value of these cells in the untreated animals. However, the maximal increase of MI in hepatocytes took place when the minimal value of MI was registered in cells of the control animals. A significant increase in MI occurred both in hepatocytes and reticuloendothelial cells within the two first hours after antioxidant injection, but at this very time a more evident stimulation was observed for the hepatocytes. Antioxidant doses stimulating cell division produce similar effect on reticuloendothelial cells and hepatocytes, just reported here, as do tireoid ans steroid hormones.