Mitochondriosis of the hepatocytic cytoplasm in rachitic rat liver after calcitonin-treatment (a cytophotometric and morphometric study).
A calcium-rich rachitogenic vitamin-D deficiency and additional doses of calcitonin cause serious changes in cell structure and metabolism, which can be demonstrated by cytophotometry and morphometry. The experiments were made with 9 male juvenile Wistar rats. 6 animals were kept on a vitamin-D deficient diet for 6 weeks and 3 of these animals got injections with salmon-calcitonin S.C. during the last 14 days every second day. The remaining 3 animals, fed with altromin-R standard diet were kept for control purposes only. The morphometric analysis of the liver parenchymal cells was based on the statements by Weibel and the cytophotometric examinations were made according to the Sandritter technique. As a consequence of the altered metabolic condition a great volume reduction of cells and cell nuclei is found in the animals with vitamin-D deficiency, which were treated with calcitonin. In comparison with the control animals the hepatocytes show hardly any tetraploid nuclei, which points to an inhibited polyploidization. The cytoplasm shows an oncocytic transformation with megamitochondria. As reason for this mitochondriopathy an extreme and abnormal growth as well as a mutation of the mitochondrial genom are under discussion. Furthermore the total endoplasmic reticulum (volume and membrane surface), the peroxisomes and the ribosomes are strongly reduced. Due to the serious cell injury the other organelles are also reduced in number and volume, which points to a chronic hypocalcemia.
D000818:Animals; D001699:Biometry; D002116:Calcitonin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000187:drug effects; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis; D004721:Endoplasmic Reticulum / Q000187:drug effects; D007620:Karyometry; D008099:Liver / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D008112:Liver Glycogen / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D008830:Microbodies / Q000187:drug effects; D008930:Mitochondria, Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010783:Photometry; D051381:Rats; D012270:Ribosomes / Q000187:drug effects; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000473:pathology*
D008112:Liver Glycogen; D002116:Calcitonin; D004247:DNA