[Liver tissue fragments transplantation to the spleen]

Sliced liver tissue fragments of strained Wistar-Lewis rat were transplanted to the spleen. Most of transplanted liver tissues showed hyaline degeneration and epithelial ducts, similar to bile ducts, were observed on the seventh day. The liver tissue could not be identified one month after transplantation. But the masses of hepatic cells, having no sinusoid, were observed in some cases 12 months after transplantation. Macroautoradiographic studies with 99mTc-diethyl-IDA, hepato-biliary agent, were performed. The yellowish white portions of the specimens on the seventh day, corresponded to the transplanted liver tissue, indicated the uptake of 99mTc-diethyl-IDA. This means the transplanted fragments were alive and had a role of detoxication. The density of the fragments were 20% to 50% of that of the host liver. The survival ratio in acute hepatic failure induced with carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) increased by the liver tissue fragments transplantation. The density of the transplanted fragments with hepatic injury by the CCl4 increased, compared with that of no injury.