The Blood Plasma Cholesterol and Phospholipid Phosphorus in Rats following Partial Hepa- Tectomy and following Ligation of the Bile Duct*

Thannhauser and Schaber (1) first suggested that the values of the plasma cholesterol esters might be of importance in the diagnosis of hepatic damage in humans. Recently Epstein (2) has demonstrated that parenchymatous disease of the liver in man is associated generally with a marked reduction of the cholesterol esters of the blood. He further found that obstruction of the common bile duct in patients was accompanied by an increase in the total blood cholesterol and usually by an absolute increase in the cholesterol esters. There has been little work in experimental animals with impaired liver function to compare with the results obtained in patients with hepatic damage. It is the purpose of this investigation to study the effect on cholesterol and phospholipid metabolism of rats (1) following partial hepatectomy and (2) following ligation of the bile duct.