alpha-Fetoprotein content in liver from rats following hepatotoxin administration and partial hepatectomy

alpha-Fetoprotein (AFP) contents in liver from hepatotoxin-treated or partially hepatectomized rats were quantitatively measured using a radioimmunoassay by freezing and thawing perfused-liver homogenate in Triton X-100 No significantly increased contents of AFP in injured or regenerating livers were found even with a marked increase in serum AFP concentrations of the treated rats, suggesting that AFP could be rapidly secreted into the circulation identically under the entirely different conditions. Increased contents of AFP in liver could be detected only in newborn rats with serum AFP concentrations of more than 10 microgram/ml.