[Autoradiographic investigations on the age dependent regeneration of parenchymal liver cells (author's transl)].

It is possible to represent the age dependent change of the ability of reproduction on the model of liver regeneration. Because of the reduced growth fraction with increasing age there is a delay of the beginning and a decrease of the maximum ascent of regeneration. In old rats the proliferating activity decreases to consistently low levels earlier than in young and adult rats. There are no age dependent differences in the total amount of regeneration 21 days after 1/3 hepatectomy. In contrast to the literature we are able to show, that already by means of 1/3 hepatectomy highest values of liver regeneration are achievable.