Separate isolation of cells from nodules and surrounding parenchyma of the same precancerous rat liver: biochemical and cytochemical characterization.

Various enzyme and metabolic alterations have been observed in the hyperplastic nodules which appear during the hepatocarcinogenesis. These alterations have been mainly specified by histochemical observations. In this report, a technique of hepatocyte isolation is described which enables the separation of 2 cellular fractions, respectively, from the nodules and from the surrounding parenchyma of the same liver of a rat previously treated with a hepatocarcinogen. Such a technique allowed parallel analysis of both cellular populations by biochemical and cytochemical techniques.