Skip to main content
NCBI home page
The Journal of Biophysical and Biochemical Cytology logoLink to The Journal of Biophysical and Biochemical Cytology
. 1958 Nov 25;4(6):771–776. doi: 10.1083/jcb.4.6.771

The Influence of Age, Sex, Pregnancy, Starvation, and Other Factors on the Cytoplasmic Ribonucleoproteins of Rat Liver

Mary L Petermann 1, Mary G Hamilton 1
PMCID: PMC2224520  PMID: 13610943

Abstract

Rat liver was homogenized in 0.88 M sucrose. The DNA and total RNA were determined, and the homogenate was fractionated by differential centrifugation. The pellets obtained between 30 minutes at 20,000 g and 180 minutes at 105,000 g were analyzed for RNA and nitrogen. The ribonucleoproteins were determined in the analytical ultracentrifuge. The non-pellet RNA was calculated by difference. The results are reported as amounts per 6.7 x 10-9 mg. of DNA. In young, growing male rats the amounts of microsomal protein and ribonucleoprotein B (83S) increased with age. Non-pregnant adult females showed less non-pellet RNA and much more ribonucleoprotein C (63S) than did adult males. During pregnancy both of these cell constituents reverted to levels characteristic for male animals. Starvation for 5 days resulted in a reduction in the mass of liver tissue, the non-pellet RNA, the microsomal protein, and ribonucleoproteins B and C. During recovery from starvation the return of the liver to normal paralleled the rate at which body weight was restored. Treatment with cortisone, 25 mg. per rat per day for 5 days, caused an increase in microsomal protein and a decrease in ribonucleoprotein B. Treatment with 6-mercapto-purine, 50 mg. per kilo per day for 5 days, caused little change in liver composition in either males or females.

Full Text

The Full Text of this article is available as a PDF (475.3 KB).

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. BERNHARD W., HAGUENAU F., GAUTIER A., OBERLING C. La structure submicroscopique des elements basophiles cytoplasmiques dans le foie, le pancreas et les glandes salivaires; étude de coupes ultrafines au microscope électronique. Z Zellforsch Mikrosk Anat. 1952;37(3):281–300. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. BIESELE J. J. Effects of 6-mercaptopurine on experimental tumors in tissue culture. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1954 Dec 6;60(2):228–234. doi: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.1954.tb40013.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. CAMPBELL R. M., KOSTERLITZ H. W. Some effects of pregnancy and lactation on the liver. J Endocrinol. 1949 Oct;6(2):171-83, pl. doi: 10.1677/joe.0.0060171. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. CHAUVEAU J., MOULE Y., ROUILLER C. Localisation de l'acide ribonucléique dans les diverses structures morphologiques des microsomes de foie de rat. Exp Cell Res. 1957 Oct;13(2):398–400. doi: 10.1016/0014-4827(57)90019-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. CLARKE D. A., PHILIPS F. S., STERNBERG S. S., STOCK C. C., ELION G. B., HITCHINGS G. H. 6-Mercaptopurine: effects in mouse sarcoma 180 and in normal animals. Cancer Res. 1953 Aug;13(8):593–604. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. FAWCETT D. W. Observations on the cytology and electron microscopy of hepatic cells. J Natl Cancer Inst. 1955 Apr;15(5 Suppl):1475–1503. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. HAMILTON M. G., MIZEN N. A., PETERMANN M. L. The cytoplasmic nucleoproteins of azo dye-induced rat liver tumors. Cancer Res. 1956 Aug;16(7):620–627. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. LAIRD A. K., BARTON A. D., NYGAARD O. Synthesis of protein and ribonucleic acid in rat liver during refeeding after starvation. Exp Cell Res. 1955 Dec;9(3):523–540. doi: 10.1016/0014-4827(55)90081-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. LOFTFIELD R. B. The biosynthesis of protein. Prog Biophys Biophys Chem. 1957;8:347–386. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. LOWE C. U., RAND R. N. Alterations in biochemical composition and ribonucleic acid metabolism induced in rat liver by cortisone. J Biophys Biochem Cytol. 1956 May 25;2(3):331–360. doi: 10.1083/jcb.2.3.331. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. LOWE C. U., WILLIAMS W. L. Effect of cortisone administration on intracellular composition of rat liver. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med. 1953 Oct;84(1):70–74. doi: 10.3181/00379727-84-20544. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. PALADE G. E., SIEKEVITZ P. Liver microsomes; an integrated morphological and biochemical study. J Biophys Biochem Cytol. 1956 Mar 25;2(2):171–200. doi: 10.1083/jcb.2.2.171. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. PETERMANN M. L., HAMILTON M. G. The purification and properties of cytoplasmic ribonucleoprotein from rat liver. J Biol Chem. 1957 Feb;224(2):725–736. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. PETERMANN M. L., MIZEN N. A., HAMILTON M. G. The macromolecular particles of normal and regenerating rat liver. Cancer Res. 1953 Apr-May;13(4-5):372–375. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. PHILIPS F. S., STERNBERG S. S., HAMILTON S., CLARKE D. A. The toxic effects of 6-mercaptopurine and related compounds. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1954 Dec 6;60(2):283–296. doi: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.1954.tb40019.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. THOMSON R. Y., HEAGY F. C., HUTCHISON W. C., DAVIDSON J. N. The deoxyribonucleic acid content of the rat cell nucleus and its use in expressing the results of tissue analysis, with particular reference to the composition of liver tissue. Biochem J. 1953 Feb;53(3):460–474. doi: 10.1042/bj0530460. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from The Journal of Biophysical and Biochemical Cytology are provided here courtesy of The Rockefeller University Press

RESOURCES