title: Confocal scanning laser microscopy of mitochondria: a possible tool in the diagnosis of mitochondrial disorders.
abstract: This paper describes a non-invasive method for the study of mitochondrial morphology in cultured human skin fibroblasts by confocal scanning laser microscopy after staining the mitochondria with 2-[4-(dimethylaminostyryl]-1-methylpyridinium iodide. This method is applied to compare mitochondria in fibroblasts from healthy individuals and from patients with mitochondrial myopathy. In most cases there is a striking swelling of the patient's mitochondria and a loss of fine structure. The results with respect to the potential of this method as a diagnostic tool are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Physiological Chemistry, University of Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Ruiters
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: van Spronsen
authors.forename: O H
authors.initials: OH
authors.lastname: Skjeldal
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Stromme
authors.forename: H R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Scholte
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Pzyrembel
authors.forename: G P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Smit
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ruitenbeek
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Agsteribbe
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D007773:Lactates / Q000097:blood; D007834:Lasers; D008661:Metabolism, Inborn Errors / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008853:Microscopy / Q000295:instrumentation*; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D011773:Pyruvates / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D007773:Lactates; D011773:Pyruvates