[Total nitrogen concentration in human liver tissue. Correlations between morphological and microanalytical data]

The degree of hepatic steatosis and percentage total nitrogen content were evaluated simultaneously in a group of obese patients and after bypass surgery for obesity. The straight line relationship between sample weight and gas chromatographic response integrals shows that samples had the same water content. The higher concentration of total nitrogen in patients with higher levels of steatosis and the inverse correlation between degree of adipose infiltration and degree of total nitrogen, when water content is the same, suggest that the total liver parenchyma nitrogen concentration closely reflects the structural protein content.