The Kurume Medical Journal

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Mitomycin C, in near toxic doses, was administered to rabbits, and its effects on the liver were observed with electron microscope. The alteration of hepatocytes after one time administration of 5.0 mg/kg of Mitomycin C were remarkable than those after administration during five consecutive days. Although there were occasionally some cells which exhibited remarkable changes still at 6 or 12 hours after the administration in the peripheral zone, the cells in the cetrolobular zone exhibited generally more pronounced changes than those in the peripheral zone. Table 6 summarizes principal changes. As indicaded in Table 6, the differences in changes by zone may be correlated with the blood supply. Namely, the central, intermediate, and peripheral zones are respectively supplied by blood of highest (first), second and relativery poor (third) quality with regard to oxygen and nutrients. Therefore the changes of the cells in the peripheral zone may be able to follow by the return to normal more rapidly than those in the central zone. The effects of the massive dose of Mitomycin C on the hepatocytes were observed for about 48 hours after the administration with electron-microscope, These changes are reversible, and the clinical application in which Mitomycin C is administred at intervals of 48 hours or more is advantageous in minimizing side effects on the liver function. It is probably due to zonal hepatocellular alteration that in spite of these morphological changes, there was no indication of liver function impairment in animals.

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Electron microscopic observations of the epithelial cells of the seminal vesicle of the rat to which estrogen was administrated for a long time have revealed the characteristic band-like structures within the mitochondria.

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