Cytochemical estimation of cytochrome oxidase activity as a morphofunctional mitochondrial check-up.
Cytochemical estimation of COX activity and morphometric measurement of mitochondrial ultrastructure were carried out in organelles from adult and old rats. Although no age-related difference was found in cytochemical precipitate (CPA) and mitochondrial area (MA), the ratio CPA:MA (R) decreased by 25.7% in aging. R was the same in oversized mitochondria, but in smaller organelles it was significantly decreased during aging. R reports on the functional mitochondrial surface involved in energy providing mechanisms; thus, by revealing age-related differences, these data suggest that the COX preferential cytochemistry associated with morphometry may serve as a reliable and sensitive mitochondrial morphofunctional checkup procedure.
Bertoni-Freddari
Carlo
C
Neurobiology of Aging Laboratory, INRCA Research Department, Ancona, Italy. c.bertoni@inrca.it
Fattoretti
Patrizia
P
Giorgetti
Belinda
B
Grossi
Yessica
Y
Casoli
Tiziana
T
Di Stefano
Giuseppina
G
Balietti
Marta
M
D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV / Q000378:metabolism*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats
D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV