Secretion of liver lipase activity by periportal and perivenous hepatocytes

Periportal and perivenous hepatocytes were separated by isopycnic centrifugation through Percoll, or selectively isolated by combined digitonin/collagenase perfusion. With either method, secretion of liver lipase activity was 2-2.5-fold higher in periportal than perivenous cells. This acinar heterogeneity parallels that of cholesterol de novo synthesis and bile formation reported previously.