On the Uptake of Materials by the Intact Liver. THE TRANSPORT AND NET REMOVAL OF GALACTOSE

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Abstract

D-galactose, a monosaccharide rapidly phosphorylated within liver cells, is irreversibly removed from the portal circulation. We have studied the kinetic relations between the hepatic cell entry process and the metabolic sequestration process, by means of the multiple indicator dilution technique. Labeled red blood cells (a vascular indicator), labeled sucrose (an extracellular reference), and labeled galactose were rapidly injected into the portal vein, and from rapidly sampled hepatic venous blood, normalized outflow-time patterns were secured. The labeled red cell curve rises to the highest and earliest peak, and decays rapidly; and that for labeled sucrose rises to a later and lower peak. Its extrapolated recovery is equivalent to that of the labeled red cells. At low blood galactose concentrations, the labeled galactose appears at the outflow with labeled sucrose, but is much reduced in magnitude, and exhibits a long tailing. Its outflow recovery is much reduced. At high blood galactose concentrations, the initial part of the profile increases towards that for labeled sucrose, the tailing becomes much larger in magnitude, and the outflow recovery becomes virtually complete.

Authors

Carl A. Goresky, Glen G. Bach, Brita E. Nadeau