title: Cytochemical estimation of cytochrome oxidase activity as a morphofunctional mitochondrial check-up.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Neurobiology of Aging Laboratory, INRCA Research Department, Ancona, Italy. c.bertoni@inrca.it
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bertoni-Freddari
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fattoretti
authors.forename: Belinda
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Giorgetti
authors.forename: Yessica
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Grossi
authors.forename: Tiziana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Casoli
authors.forename: Giuseppina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Di Stefano
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Balietti
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV / Q000378:metabolism*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV