Immunohistochemical studies on α-fetoprotein and albumin containing cells in the liver during ontogenesis and early stage of 3'-Methyl-4-Dimethlaminoazobenzene hepatocarcinogenesis

Abstract

Single and simultaneous localization of α-fetoprotein (AFP) and albumin (ALB) of featal, neonatal rat liver and liver from a rat fed 3'-Methyl-4-Diaminoazobenzene (3'-Me-DAB) diet was studied using peroxidase-labelld antibody method. 1) Early stage of 3'-Me-DAB hepatocarcinogenesis: In verly early stage, when maturation from oval cells to transitional cells began to occure, only AFP was localized in scant cytoplasm of trasitional cells. In a more advaced stage, when maturation from ovall cells to transitional cells and small hepatocytes highly occured, simultaneous localization of AFP and ALB was observed in those cells. When small hepatocytes took appearance as apparent hepatocytes, only ALB was localized in them. 2) Fetal and postnatal rat liver: On Day 12 of gestatin, AFP and ALB alredy localized in all hepatocytes. This tendency continued during the entire fetal life. After birth, AFP containing cells gradually diminished from the periphery of hepatic lobule toward the central area. Finally, all hepatocytes singly contained ALB. 3) The fluctuation of AFP and/or ALB containing cells in the early stage of 3'-Me-DAB hepatocarcinogenesis was very similar to that of ontogenesis of rat liver. That is, the former re-traced the process of ontogenic differentiation of the liver. © 1981, The Japan Society of Hepatology. All rights reserved.