STUDIES ON THE RAT LIVER FOLLOWING IRON OVERLOAD

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Abstract
The lysosomal vacuome of parenchymal and Kupffer cells of the liver has been shown to be involved in the storage of Fe during Fe overload. In order to morphologically quantify alterations in the course of this process a morphometrical analysis of liver cells and subcellular organelles (lysosomes, autophagic vacuoles and mitochondria) was performed. The Kupffer cells increased in volume density (Vv) as the cells became loaded with Fe whereas other cell compartments were unaffected. The volume density of Kupffer cell lysosomes was slightly increased when expressed on per cell basis. However, since the volume of the Kupffer cells increased simultaneously, the total volume of the lysosomes in these cells was increased > 100%. Parenchymal cell lysosomal Vv increased .apprx. 100% following Fe loading. This increase in parenchymal cell lysosomes was most pronounced in periportal cells while centrilobular cells were less affected in this respect. Both Kupffer cell Vv and lysosomal Vv in Kupffer and parenchymal cells were decreased when enhanced mobilization of Fe was induced by bleeding. The results agree with the notion that the increase in Vv of the lysosomal vacuome during Fe overload is due to the accumulation of Fe binding storage proteins.