Effect of environmental conditions upon age changes in the human liver

Age changes in the liver of the Hawaii-Japanese have been compared with those of native Japanese and Caucasians in the United States. Among the Japanese in Hawaii, all cases over 70 years of age were migrant Japanese to Hawaii, i.e. Issei, those under 60 years of age were their Hawaii born descendents, i.e. Nisei, and cases in the 7th decade were composed of Nisei and Issei. Aging changes of the liver seem to begin earlier in the Nisei and Caucasians than in the native Japanese. The earlier onset of aging can be explained on the basis of earlier maturation due to better nutritional conditions. The marked decrease in the number of hepatic cells in the Issei may well be a reflection of their nutritional state during their early years. They, in this sense, resemble the native Japanese.