Mitotic Response to Various Dietary Conditions in the Normal and Regenerating Rat Liver

Summary

Rats were subjected to diets high in carbohydrate, protein, or fat for 7 days or to a 24-hr fast. Some of these rats were partially hepatectomized and the mitotic activity of the regenerating liver was measured either 20 or 24 hr postoperatively. The level of mitotic activity of the intact liver from the unoperated rats were also determined. The unoperated rats fed the high protein diet showed an increase in the resting mitotic activity, while those fed the high fat diet showed a decrease when these rats were compared to control rats fed a normal diet. Caloric restriction and food deprivation (24-hr fast) also caused a decrease in the resting mitotic activity. The partially hepatectomized rats fed the high protein and high fat diets or fasted for 24 hr showed a reduced mitotic activity during the periods studied, whereas caloric restriction had no effect. The high carbohydrate diet had no effect on the mitotic activity of either the intact or regenerating liver.