The isolated perfused bovine liver.

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Medicine
• Surgical Procedures
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Isolated organ perfusion is crucial for studying organ-specific physiology and biochemistry.
• Previous methods faced limitations in reproducibility and duration.
• The bovine calf liver offers unique advantages for experimental perfusion models.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe a novel, reproducible surgical procedure for the isolation and artificial perfusion of the young bovine liver.
• To establish a stable experimental model for long-term liver perfusion studies.
• To facilitate research in intermediary biochemistry and ultrastructure.

Main Methods:

• Surgical isolation and cannulation of hepatic artery and portal vein in young bovines.
• Perfusion using heparinized autogenous blood diluted with Krebs-Ringer-bicarbonate solution.
• Maintenance of physiological conditions including temperature, pH, and sterility.

Main Results:

• Successfully reproduced the perfusion procedure in over 90 trials, maintaining viability for up to 24 hours.
• Demonstrated stable liver function through consistent oxygen consumption, bromosulphalein clearance, and bile secretion.
• Observed minimal histologic and ultrastructural alterations from normal, indicating excellent viability.

Conclusions:

• The described perfusion technique provides a reliable and reproducible model for studying the isolated bovine calf liver.
• The model is suitable for extended investigations into hepatic biochemistry and ultrastructure.
• The bovine calf liver's size and physiological characteristics make it advantageous for experimental perfusion research.