Abstract
Mitochondrial fractions, relatively free from contamination by other cytoplasmic structures, have been isolated by differential centrifugation from homogenates of brown adipose tissue from starved rats. It was possible in such fractions to distinguish two types of mitochondria in this tissue. Type I mitochondria, when morphologically intact, are limited by a bilaminar membrane and show regular parallel cristae. In isolated fractions, a proportion of these mitochondria are swollen, vacuolation occurring within the cristae between their limiting membranes. Type II mitochondria are distinguished from the more numerous type I bodies by the opaque appearance of their matrix. They are limited by a membrane which is in part single, and in part double. They show a few, but crisply outlined internal membranes. Vacuolation of this type of mitochondrion has not been observed. Vacuolation comparable to that in brown fat mitochondria was also observed between the two laminae of the enclosing membrane and within the cristae of liver mitochondria.
Full Text
The Full Text of this article is available as a PDF (600.9 KB).
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- LEVER J. D. The fine structure of brown adipose tissue in the rat with observations on the cytological changes following starvation and adrenalectomy. Anat Rec. 1957 Jul;128(3):361–377. doi: 10.1002/ar.1091280302. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- PAIGEN K. The occurrence of several biochemically distinct types of mitochondria in rat liver. J Biol Chem. 1954 Feb;206(2):945–957. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- SIEKEVITZ P., WATSON M. L. Cytochemical studies of mitochondria. I. The separation and identification of a membrane fraction from isolated mitochondria. J Biophys Biochem Cytol. 1956 Nov 25;2(6):639–652. doi: 10.1083/jcb.2.6.639. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]