γ Glutamyltranspeptidase in the rat liver after portacaval shunt

Abstract

Gamma glutamyltranspeptidase (GGTP) was studied in the liver of fetal, neonatal, and adult rats. The activity of the enzyme is high in the fetal rats and declines subsequently after birth to low values which, from the 10th day, are identical with those observed in adult animals. Compared with control and sham operated animals, an increased activity of GGTP in the liver was observed in the rats submitted to an end-to-side portacaval shunt (PCS) 10 to 30 days after the operation. These findings were confirmed by histochemical staining of the enzyme activity. The increase of GGTP activity after PCS may be interpreted as a sign of functional changes leading to a reappearance of an enzyme normally present only in fetal and neonatal liver.