Modification of Cholesterosis and Lipidosis of Rats maintained on an Atherogenic Diet

Abstract

ALTHOUGH the liver is regarded as the primary organ of lipid metabolism, little is known of this metabolic process at the cellular level. Recognizing that the cellular composition of liver is approximately 61 per cent parenchymal and 33 per cent littoral cells¹, I attempted to clarify the participation of hepatic cells in lipid metabolism by studies on the lipid composition of isolated parenchymal and Kupffer cells². This work showed, in reference to the isolated parenchymal cell, an elevated cholesterol-level in Kupffer cells which suggested that these cells actively participated in cholesterol metabolism. Subsequent work indicated that Kupffer cells probably are not involved in the uptake of plasma cholesterol but do participate in its biotransformation or excretion³.