Heterogeneity of the intrahepatic biliary epithelium

Figure 2 Measurement of H₃ histone gene expression in small and large cholangiocytes from 1-wk BDL rats and 1-wk BDL rats treated with CCl₄ or mineral oil. H₃ histone gene expression in large cholangiocytes decreased on d 2 before returning to control values on d 7 after CCl₄ treatment. H₃ histone gene expression (which was absent in small cholangiocytes from BDL rats) was expressed by small cholangiocytes on d 1 and 2 before returning to control undetectable values on d 7 after CCl₄ treatment. Administration of mineral oil to 1-wk BDL rats did not alter H₃ histone gene expression in large cholangiocytes. The message for H₃ histone gene was absent in small cholangiocytes from oil-treated rats. Comparability of RNA used was assessed by hybridization for GAPDH (housekeeping gene). Autoradiograms were quantified by densitometry. Densitometric values are means of 2 experiments. Reproduced with permission from Ref 50.