TRANSPLANTATION OF PUTATIVE PRENEOPLASTIC HEPATOCYTES OF ANALBUMINEMIC RATS IN THE LIVERS OF SPRAGUE-DAWLEY X ANALBUMINEMIC HYBRID RATS

As the analbuminemia of analbuminemic rats (NAR) is inherited as a recessive trait, the livers of F1 hybrids of Sprague-Dawley .times. NAR (SD .times. NAR) retain the capability to produce albumin. We induced albumin-negative hyperplastic nodules in the livers of NAR, isolated the nodule cells and transplanted them in the livers of SD .times. NAR by infusion into the mesenteric vein. When the hosts were treated with dietary 2-acetylaminofluorene plus a partial hepatectomy, numerous albumin(-) nodules of donor origin were formed within the albumin(+) livers of the hosts. This system should be useful to analyze sequential events during hepatocarcinogenesis by using a genotypic marker.