Effect of pre- and postnatal exposure to alcohol on perivenous and periportal neonatal rat hepatocytes

Hepatocytes from 12-day-old rats, pre and postnatally exposed to alcohol and pair-fed controls, were isolated and subfractionated in six cell subpopulations on Percoll density gradients. These cells were characterized using biochemical, stereological and cytofluorometric methods. Our results show that the low density cells (F2) are mainly perivenous cells, whereas the heavier cells (F6) were primarily periportal cells. These results were confirmed by alanine aminotransferase (ALAT), and glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) activity levels and by stereological parameters. Alcohol seems to especially affect perivenous hepatocytes, with the damaged hepatocytes appearing in the perivenous and midzonal hepatocyte populations.