The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effects of recombinant human (rh) IGF-1 administration on liver growth of rats. RhIGF-1 (100 ng/kg/day prepared in 0.01 M NaHCO3) was injected (s.c) daily to rats for seven days. Control groups received the same injection procedure with only 0.01 M NaHCO3. One day after the last injection, rats from both control and rhIGF-1 injected groups (n = 5 per group) were euthanized and liver tissue samples were collected (group I). Liver samples from

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... oth groups (n = 5 per group/collection day) were collected on week one (group II) and week two (group III) after the last injection. Tissue samples were immediately fixed in Bouin's solution and embedded in paraffin. Tissue sections were cut into 5-6 µ thickness and stained with Crossman's triple staining method. RhIGF-1 administration increased the number and the diameter of liver epithelial cells (hepatocytes) which in turn affected the liver growth of rats.