Effect of Continuous Aplication of Shear Stress on Liver-specific Function and Structure of Liver Tissue

Takahiro Torii, Mitsuo Miyazawa and Isamu Koyama

Department of Digestive and General Surgery, Saitama Medical School

Objectives and Methods: Rapid blood flow changes occur in the liver following massive liver resection or in the grafted liver following liver transplantation, under which shear stress change induced by flow change may determine postoperative results. We observed changes in liver tissue structure and liver-specific function, and the extent of apoptosis progression in cultured rat liver tissue to which shear stress was applied, and consequently assessed shear stress effect on liver tissue. Results: Cultured liver tissue exposed to continuous application of moderate shear stress expressed and maintained long-term liver-specific function. Evidence also indicated that destruction of the liver structure was inhibited. Cultured liver tissue not exposed to shear stress or exposed to high shear stress was shown to lose liver-specific function soon after expression. The liver structure was destroyed in early incubation. Apoptosis progression in the cultured liver tissue exposed to continuous application of moderate shear stress was most inhibited compared to tissue not exposed to shear stress or exposed to high shear stress. Conclusion: These results suggested that continuous application of appropriate shear stress has advantages over other types of stress in protecting liver tissue.

Key words
liver tissue, shear stress, apoptosis, liver-specific function, liver-structure

Reprint requests
Takahiro Torii Department of Digestive and General Surgery, Saitama Medical School 38 Morohongou, Moroyama, Iruma-gun, Saitama, 350-0495 JAPAN

Accepted
March 26, 2003

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