Dietary glycine blunts liver injury after bile duct ligation in rats.

Aim: To investigate the effects of (dietary) glycine against oxidant-induced injury caused by bile duct ligation (BDL).

Methods: Either a diet containing 5% glycine or a standard diet was fed to male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. Three days later, BDL or sham-operation was performed.

Heme oxygenase-1 overexpression increases liver injury after bile duct ligation in rats.

Aim: To investigate the effects of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) against oxidant-induced injury caused by bile duct ligation (BDL).

Methods: Either cobalt protoporphyrin (CoPP), a HO-1 inducer, or saline were injected intraperitoneally in male SD-rats. Three days later, BDL or sham-operations were performed.

Characterization of rat and human Kupffer cells after cryopreservation.

Kupffer cells (KC) are the resident macrophages of the liver and represent about 80% of the total fixed macrophage population. They are involved in disease states such as endotoxin shock, alcoholic liver diseases and other toxic-induced liver injury. They release physiologically active substances such as eicosanoids and inflammatory cytokines (IL-1, IL-6, TNFalpha), and produce free radical species.