title: Morphological and biochemical characterization of mitochondria in Torpedo red blood cells.
abstract: A study is presented on the morphology and respiratory functions of mitochondria from Torpedo marmorata red blood cells. In vivo staining of red blood cells and transmission electron microscopy showed the existence of a considerable number of vital and orthodox mitochondria which decreased from young erythroblasts to mature erythrocytes from 60-50 to 30-20 per cell. In erythrocytes mitochondria exhibited a canonical, functional respiratory chain. The content and activity of cytochromes in erythrocytes were, however, significantly lower as compared to mammalian tissues.
authors.affiliation: Department of Comparative and Evolutionary Biology, University of Naples, Federico II, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pica
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Scacco
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Papa
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: De Nitto
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Papa
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003580:Cytochromes / Q000378:metabolism; D004579:Electron Transport; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D013053:Spectrophotometry; D014101:Torpedo
chemical_list: D003580:Cytochromes