Two physiological maturations of the rat liver are presented in this paper. The ability for glycogen storage depends in vivo on the presence of endogenous circulating glucocorticoids. Similarly, in vitro, primary cultures of fetal hepatocytes store glycogen only in cortisol-supplemented media. Cortisol exerts its effects by enhancing the activity of the synthetic pathway of glycogen metabolism. Glucocorticoids also control the erythropoietic tissue of the fetal liver. They reduce the self maintenance ability of the stem cell pools and accelerate the maturation processes. Under their stimulation the liver becomes the main erythrocyte producer in the fetus and progressively loses its erythropoietic tissue, probably by exhaustion. The synchronism in the maturations of the two major cellular populations is essentially due to the fact that their common inducers, the corticosteroids, are suddenly released in enhanced amounts on and after 17–18 days of gestation.

Keywords:
Erythropoiesis, Fetus, Glycogen, Liver, Maturation, Rat
This content is only available via PDF.
1973
Copyright / Drug Dosage / Disclaimer
Copyright: All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be translated into other languages, reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, microcopying, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
Drug Dosage: The authors and the publisher have exerted every effort to ensure that drug selection and dosage set forth in this text are in accord with current recommendations and practice at the time of publication. However, in view of ongoing research, changes in government regulations, and the constant flow of information relating to drug therapy and drug reactions, the reader is urged to check the package insert for each drug for any changes in indications and dosage and for added warnings and precautions. This is particularly important when the recommended agent is a new and/or infrequently employed drug.
Disclaimer: The statements, opinions and data contained in this publication are solely those of the individual authors and contributors and not of the publishers and the editor(s). The appearance of advertisements or/and product references in the publication is not a warranty, endorsement, or approval of the products or services advertised or of their effectiveness, quality or safety. The publisher and the editor(s) disclaim responsibility for any injury to persons or property resulting from any ideas, methods, instructions or products referred to in the content or advertisements.
You do not currently have access to this content.