Hepatocytic volume alternations following rat liver preservation

Hepatocytic swelling that occurs during hypothermic ischemia in solutions that are devoid of osmotic support can be mainly ascribed to the inhibition of energy-dependent maintenance. These phenomena are counteracted by certain impermeants in UW solution. In the present study, lightmicroscopic and electronmicroscopic parameters of volume alterations of rat livers have been evaluated after prolonged hypothermic storage in UW solution and Ringer's. Cold storage in Ringer's caused a swelling of hepatocytes, of their nuclei and of organelle-free cytoplasma. Accordingly, the sinusoidal spaces were narrowed. The opposite was evident following cold storage in UW solution, i.e. a slight shrinking of hepatocytes with widening of the sinusoidal spaces. Since an ideal preservation solution should maintain the cellular and subcellular structures as long as possible, UW solutions osmotic support might exceed the actual need.