Uptake of Protein by Regenerating Liver Cells

Abstract

USING an immunofluorescent method, Cohen and his colleagues¹ reported that hepatomas induced in rats by p-dimethylaminoazobenzene could take up plasma proteins without prior extracellular hydrolysis. Later we showed² that intact plasma proteins could similarly be demonstrated within the cells of benzpyrene-induced primary fibrosarcomas in rats, and several other transplanted mouse tumours, both in solid and in ascites forms. However, the question whether this capacity of taking up intact protein molecules is associated with malignancy or is a property of all rapidly growing tissues remained unanswered. The present investigation was designed to study the uptake of intact protein molecules in a rapidly growing tissue in vivo, namely in regenerating rat liver cells after partial hepatectomy.