Evaluation of hepatic functions of the bioartificial liver (BAL) module is essential for developing an optimal BAL system which can be applied to a patient with fulminant hepatic failure. Although hepatic function in BALs has been evaluated only in biochemical activities in previous reports, we assessed a newly designed BAL from a hollow fiber type not only in biochemical activities such as glu...

To examine the transition to ureogenesis, the gobiid fish Mugilogobius abei was immersed in 2 mmol l(-)(1) NH(4)HCO(3) or a (15)N-labelled ammonia solution [1 mmol l(-)(1) ((15)NH(4))(2)SO(4), pH 8.0] for 4-8 days. When exposed to 2 mmol l(-)(1) NH(4)HCO(3) or (15)N-labelled ammonia solution for 4 days, the rate of urea excretion increased to seven times that of the control (in 20 % synthetic s...

We examined the relationship between plasma cortisol levels, hepatic glutamine synthetase (GNS) activity and the form of nitrogen excreted (e.g. urea, ammonia) in undisturbed versus confined/crowded (acutely stressed) gulf toadfish. Specifically, we tested the hypothesis that acute increases in plasma cortisol levels are required to trigger the increase in GNS activity induced by the confinemen...

Ammonia is the chief excretory product in fishes. However, non-availability of enough of water in the habitat, may lead to the formation of urea, in fishes. In the present study, the possible role of urea formation to avoid the toxicity of ammonia under water-restricted condition was tested in Channa gachua. Circulatory urea and ammonia were estimated in the blood of the fishes and glutamate de...