Competition Between Native Liver and Graft in Auxiliary Liver Transplantation in a Rat Model

However, the differences between the groups were not significant. With regard to hepatocellular apoptosis, the livers were similar among all groups and at all time points, M30-positive hepatocyte counts were ≤1/10 visual fields, which was equivalent to normal values. After HALT with flow-regulated PVA, the native liver regenerated and the graft showed atrophy, most likely caused by the lack of hepatotrophic factors in the arterialized graft portal vein blood. Regeneration of the 70% resected native liver in the presence of an arterialized heterotopic auxiliary liver graft was less pronounced than the regeneration of a 70% resected liver without HALT. Native liver regeneration seemed negatively influenced by a graft, suggesting a competition between the 2 livers.