The Liver as a Source of Extrarenal Erythropoietin Production

Abstract

Abstract Nephrectomized rats exposed to intense hypoxia produce sufficient erythropoietin (Ep) to detectably increase their plasma Ep titers. Extrarenal Ep production is no longer detectable if nephrectomized rats are also subjected to 80% hepatectomy prior to being made hypoxic at 0.465 atmos and is barely detectable but significantly lower than in nephrectomized rats when exposed to 0.435 atmos. These results suggest that the liver plays an important role in the production of extrarenal erythropoietin.