Blood volume partition after acute cholestasis in the rat.

A method involving isotope labelling of blood components and then rapid freezing of intact rats, was used for evaluation of the blood content in liver, spleen and gastrointestinal (GI) tract in cholestatic animals. For comparison also another important blood depot, i.e. the lungs were examined. After 4 days of cholestasis the animals were hypovolemic, however, the partition of blood in the liver and GI tract was unchanged or even increased. In contrast the lung blood volume and the erythrocyte content of the spleen were markedly reduced. Three days later the animals had regained their normal blood volume, but still there was a redistribution of blood from the lungs and spleen to the liver and GI tract. We suggest that during cholestasis the depot function of the splanchnic vessels is disturbed. This might be one factor of importance for development of the hepatorenal syndrome.