Protein synthesis in Ito cells (fat-storing cells) of cultured liver tissues from CCL4-treated mice. A light and electron microscopic autoradiographic study.

Small tissue blocks of livers obtained from normal and CCl4-treated mice were incubated in culture medium supplemented with 3H-leucine for one hour to observe the protein synthesis of Ito cells in acute carbon tetrachloride liver injury by a light and electron microscopic autoradiography. In normal mouse liver very few Ito cells are labeled with 3H-leucine. On the contrary, in acutely damaged mouse liver by a single intraperitoneal injection of CCl4, the Ito cells in the centrilobular zones where liver cells show marked degeneration and necrosis are densely labeled. No labeling, however occurs over the Ito cells in the intermediate and peripheral zones of the same liver lobules, where liver cells showed no cellular degeneration. These findings show that the Ito cells are inactive in 3H-leucine incorporation under physiological conditions. After acute liver cell injury the Ito cells located in the necrotic areas of liver cells are markedly activated for protein synthesis.