ObjectiveTo study the relationship between hepatocellular apoptosis and glycogen contents during hepatic cold preservationreperfusion and its mechanism.MethodsBased on the model of four groups of rabbit livers with different hepatocellular glycogen contents, hepatocellular apoptosis and bax gene expression were observed during hepatic cold preservationreperfusion.ResultsApoptotic hepatocytes were obviously found in 60 minute reperfusing livers subsequent to 9 hour cold storage, and there was significant difference in the numbers of apoptotic hepatocytes among all the groups. In the same time, there was the close relationship between the levels of bax gene expression and the glycogen contents of hepatocytes.ConclusionIntracellular abundant glycogen may significantly depress the hepatocellular apoptosis during hepatic cold preservationreperfusion by decreasing hepatocellular bax gene expression.