Transient steatosis, fibrosis, and metabolic activation in the postprandial python liver. (A) ALT assay (U/liter) in fasted (F), 1, 3, and 10DPF python plasma. (B) Hepatic collagen1 mRNA expression, determined by qRT-PCR. (C) Oil Red O staining of frozen tissue sections from fasted (F) and 3DPF (3D) python livers. Scale bar, 50 µm. (D) Thin-layer chromatography of pooled total lipids extracted from fasted and 3DPF python plasma. CE, cholesterol esters; Chol, free cholesterol; DAG, diacylglycerol; PL, phospholipids; TAG, triglycerides. (E) Quantification of liver triglyceride (TAG) content (arbitrary units, AU) in fasted and 3DPF pythons. (F) Picrosirius red staining of fixed tissue sections from fasted and 3DPF python livers. (G) Quantification of hepatic collagen percentage area in fasted and 3DPF pythons. (H) Hepatic desaturation index of C18 species, determined by gas chromatography. (I) qPCR for Pepck mRNA expression in python livers. (J) Assay for glucose derived from glycogen in fasted and 1DPF (1D) python livers. (K) Plasma glucose levels, determined by colorimetric enzymatic assay. (L) qPCR for normalized PPAR target gene (Acaa2, acetyl CoA acyltransferase; Cidea, cell death-inducing DFFA-like effector A; Cd36, fatty acid translocase; Cpt2, carnitine palmitoyl transferase; Scd, stearoyl CoA desaturase) mRNA expression. Data are represented as mean ± SEM. n = 3/group. *, P ≤ 0.05; **, P ≤ 0.01 versus fasted.