Abstract
Mitochondrial membrane of the liver from vitamin D deficient rats was found to be more fragile, when exposed to calcium ion, than that from normal rats. Malate dehydrogenase (MDH: EC 1.1.1.37), released from isolated mitochondria, was used as a parameter to assess the disruption of mitochondrial membrane.
Oral supplementation with vitamin D3 restored the fragility of mitochondrial membrane toward normal, suggesting that vitamin D3 or its active metabolites play a role in maintaining the integrity of mitochondrial membrane.
