Age changes of mitochondria of rat kidney.
Age-related changes of the mitochondria in the renal proximal convoluted tubules, using 2-, 12-, 18- and 25-29-month-old rats, were morphometrically examined with reference to the mitochondrial function. Mitochondrial volume per cell was significantly larger in 12- and 18-month-old rats compared with that in 2- and 25-29-month-old animals. The total volume of mitochondria in the proximal convoluted tubules was estimated to be maximal in the 18-month-old rats, and decreased significantly in the 25-29-month-old ones; the mitochondrial cristae were arranged most sparsely in the former case and became significantly compact in the latter. The number of epithelial cells in the 25-29-month-old rats was also significantly smaller than in the 18-month-old rats. From the above, in the 25-29-month-old rats, each mitochondrion seems to function more actively to compensate for the numerical loss of cells and their mitochondria.
D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D007668:Kidney / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D008297:Male; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D008930:Mitochondria, Liver / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009929:Organ Size; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains