Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 11, 2026

Generation of a Rat Model of Acute Liver Failure by Combining 70% Partial Hepatectomy and Acetaminophen
Published on: November 27, 2019
Kinetics of albumin- and alpha-fetoprotein-production during rat liver development
Abderrahim Elmaouhoub1, József Dudas, Giuliano Ramadori
1Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Gastroenterology and Endocrinology, Georg-August-University, Goettingen, Germany.
Abstract:
Synthesis of most of the plasma proteins is one of the main functions of the hepatocytes. Albumin synthesis is quantitatively the most abundant. In the present study we investigated albumin- and alpha-fetoprotein-gene-expression, and the function of the secretory apparatus during rat liver development. To this purpose we used the method of radioactive biosynthetic labeling of newly synthesized albumin and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) to monitor the secretory capacity of endodermal cells derived from ventral foregut region (embryonic day 10, E10), and of embryonic and fetal hepatoblasts. Synthesis and secretion of albumin and AFP were already detected in the low numbered ventral foregut endodermal cells; fibrinogen synthesis was detectable in the E12 hepatoblasts, which were in higher number. The whole secretory machinery was functional from the earliest stages of liver development, and the speed of secretion was comparable with that of the adult hepatocytes. There was almost 4-fold increase of hepatoblasts cell volume in fetal stage compared with embryonic stage. The model used suggests that the hepatocyte secretory apparatus is already functional before the emergence of the liver bud. This is the first comparative report to analyze the hepatocyte secretory function, cell proliferation and cell volume during liver development.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Drug Distribution: Plasma Protein Binding
Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Metabolism
Liver Physiology
Metabolic Regulation:
The liver is the central organ involved in regulating blood composition. It stabilizes blood glucose levels, maintaining them within the range of 70–110 mg/dL. When these levels drop, the liver breaks down glycogen reserves and releases glucose into the bloodstream. It can also...
Effect of Hepatic Disease on Pharmacokinetics: Drug Dosing and Hepatic Blood Flow
Effect of Hepatic Disease on Pharmacokinetics: Pathophysiologic Assessment and Liver Function Test

