[Investigation on the morphokinetic reactions of the rat liver to ether anaesthesia of different length (author's transl)].

The nuclear volumes were measured in the central, intermediate and peripheral zone of the classic liver lobule of adult male albino rats exposed to ether anaesthesia lasting 15, 40 and 80 min. Related to control animals there was a significantly lower nuclear size after a 40 min duration of narcosis and a significant higher volume after 80 min in the central part of the lobule. With a slight but not significant decrease of nuclear volume in the intermediate zone after 15 min and a significant increase after 80 min respectively, the peripheral lobular region constantly showed significantly smaller nuclei. But here, too, a disappearance of decrease was recorded after 80 min. The interpretation of the data is based upon a typical distribution of cell organelles, enzymatic pathways, and metabolites in the different zones of the hepatic lobule. The intensity of reaction and appearance of diminution in nuclear volume, indicating a functional depression and probably accentuated by a circular dependent low O2-tension of tissue, is interpreted in connection with different local concentrations of ether. An improvement of the blood flow by augmental local metabolites and an increased arterial influx presumably support the recovery and favour a concentration-dependent induction of microsomal enzymes in the central part of the lobule especially.