Cell Division and Phagocytic Activity in Liver Reticulo-Endothelial Cells

Abstract

Radioautographs of liver sections from mice given tritiated thymidine were used to identify the cells which were preparing for division and colloidal saccharated iron oxide was used to identify the active phagocytic cells. In livers of mice whose reticulo-endothelial system was stimulated by estradiol, it was established that the cells preparing for division and those which had recently divided were actively phagocytic. In livers of mice whose reticulo-endothelial system had been “blockaded” with saccharated iron oxide, it was established that the cells which had phagocytized colloid were able to divide in the process of recovery from “blockade.” No evidence was found for a stem cell which proliferates and differentiates to provide the active phagocytic population.