[Respiratory function of mitochondria fractionated from isolated hepatocytes of rats with obstructive jaundice]

Obstructive jaundice model was created using rats by the ligation of bile duct. One, 2, 3 weeks later, the respiratory function and morphology of the hepatic mitochondria were comparatively evaluated between mitochondria directly fractionated from liver tissue and mitochondria from isolated hepatocytes. Respiratory function of the former deteriorated with the duration of jaundice. ATP synthesis decreased to 75% of the control at 1 and 2 weeks, and 58% at 3 weeks after ligation. On the contrary, it was 97%, 88% and 87% of the control. On the contrary, it was 97%, 88% and 87% of the control at 1, 2 and 3 weeks in the latter. By electron microscopic examination, the size of mitochondria of the jaundiced liver is inconsistent and smaller in general than the control. These data suggest that the deterioration of mitochondrial function in the jaundiced liver is not caused mainly by the disturbance of mitochondria themselves, but caused by the respiratory inhibitory factors which exist around the mitochondria.