Abstract
Mitochondria in hepatocytes obtained from rats placed on a 1% hydrazine-diet for 7 days became gigantic, while those of rats treated with hydrazine for 3 days were slightly enlarged and sometimes elongated. Differential scanning calorimetry revealed that thermotropic phase transitions of liver mitochondria and the inner and outer membrane fractions obtained from hydrazine-treated rats for 3 days shifted to higher temperatures. Changes were most distinct in the outer membrane fractions with the increment in the enthalpy values. Increase in the ratio of acidic phospholipids, especially of phosphatidylserine, to the total phospholipids in the outer membranes and that in the amount of Ca2+ in mitochondria were also detected in hydrazine-fed rats for 3 days. All the changes, described above, were far less distinct in hydrazine-fed rats for 7 days suggesting that mitochohdrial membranes became more fluid by hydrazinetreatment and that once megamitochondria were formed membranes were stabilized.
