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Updated: Mar 14, 2026

Using Multi-fluorinated Bile Acids and In Vivo Magnetic Resonance Imaging to Measure Bile Acid Transport
Published on: November 27, 2016
Direct visualization of functional heterogeneity in hepatobiliary metabolism using 6-CFDA as model compound
Chih-Ju Lin1, Feng-Chieh Li1, Yu-Yang Lee1
1Department of Physics, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106, Taiwan.
Liver hepatocytes exhibit distinct metabolic rates based on their location within three distinct zones. Zone 3 demonstrates the highest metabolic activity, highlighting spatial heterogeneity in hepatobiliary metabolism.
Area of Science:
- Hepatobiliary physiology
- Cellular metabolism
- Liver zonation
Background:
- Hepatobiliary metabolism is a key liver function.
- The relationship between hepatocyte location and metabolic function remains unclear.
- Understanding liver zonation is crucial for comprehending metabolic processes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the spatial heterogeneity of hepatocyte metabolic rates.
- To quantify metabolic activity at the single-cell level within different liver zones.
- To determine the primary zone responsible for liver metabolism.
Main Methods:
- Utilized time-lapse multiphoton microscopy for real-time imaging.
- Employed first-order kinetic constant image analysis to quantify metabolic rates.
- Measured hepatocellular metabolic rates of 6-carboxyfluorescein diacetate (6-CFDA) in mouse liver models.
Main Results:
- Identified three distinct metabolic zones within the mouse liver.
- Quantified sinusoidal uptake (k1) and apical excretion (k2) coefficients for each zone.
- Observed significantly higher metabolic rates in Zone 3 compared to Zones 1 and 2.
Conclusions:
- Demonstrated significant spatial heterogeneity in hepatobiliary metabolism.
- Established Zone 3 as the primary site of liver metabolism.
- Provided quantitative insights into liver zonation and metabolic function.
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