Morphological and Respiratory Changes in Rat Liver Mitochondria Resulting from a Low Casein Diet

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Abstract
The influence of a low casein diet on rat liver mitochondria was studied. The low casein diet contained 4% casein, and the control diet, 25%. Rats were fed the test diets for 40 to 50 days, at which time their livers were homogenized and the mitochondria isolated. Electron photomicrographs of isolated mitochondria from rats fed the low casein diet showed swelling and irregular shape. Simultaneously, using succinate as the substrate, oxygen consumption was measured polarographically with an oxygen electrode. Oxygen consumption in the presence of ADP and succinate was greater in the rats fed the low casein diet than in those fed the high case in diet. The respiratory control index was also greater in rats fed the low casein diet. These studies indicate that phosphorylative activity of mitochondria was not impaired, but rather, was activated. In another experiment the influence of caloric intake was examined. In rats fed a restricted amount of the 25% casein diet, no mitochondrial change was observed. It was concluded that the mitochondrial change observed in rats fed the low casein diet was not due to low food intake.

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