Regeneration of the hepatic nerves following surgical denervation of the liver in dogs

ABSTRACT— This study was conducted to examine the regeneration process of hepatic nerves following surgical hepatic denervation in dogs. A denervation model was surgically created by removing all visible nerves around the hepatoduodenal ligament along with the peri‐hepatic tissues. The hepatic nerves were examined on the hepatic specimens taken at 1 week, 1 month and 3 months post‐denervation by means of immuno‐histochemical staining, and also electron microscopy. At 1 week post‐denervation, the extrinsic hepatic nerves were observed not to have regenerated. However, at 1 month post‐denervation, GAP‐43‐positive nerves were identified and regenerating axons were shown to be present on electron microscopic observation. The immunoreactivity for anti‐GAP‐43 antibody was not shown any longer at 3 months post‐denervation, and the regenerated nerve axons were shown to be similar to those at pre‐denervation on ultrastructural study. Results of the present study suggested that regeneration of the extrinsic hepatic nerves began to appear about 1 month after the hepatic denervation, and was completed by 3 months post‐denervation.