Intrahepatic microvascular changes in carbon tetrachloride-induced cirrhotic livers in the rat.

Liver cirrhosis was produced in the rat by combined carbon tetrachloride-phenobarbitone treatment, and the microcirculation in the cirrhotic liver was observed by a quantitative in vivo transillumination technique. The total sinusoidal flow in the observed region of the cirrhotic liver did not differ significantly from that in the normal liver, despite the reduced number of sinusoids and the increased portal venous pressure. The cirrhotic liver also presented a fast-velocity population of portal and hepatic venules and sinusoids in addition to the normal slow-velocity population. The possible mechanism of these "arterialized" microvessels is discussed.