Abstract
Fatty liver induced by acute intoxication was studied chemically, histologically, and electron microscopically in rats. Six hours after administration of ethanol and corn oil, hepatic lipids (mainly triglycerides) had increased by 32%. Electron microscopy revealed concurrent marked accumulation in cytoplasmic vesicles of droplets measuring 500–2500 A. In control animals receiving an isocaloric amount of glucose plus corn oil, lipid droplets also appeared to enter liver cells in vesicles; they were visible mainly in peripheral portions of the cytoplasm. In alcohol-treated animals, however, the small lipid particles were more numerous and were present in vesicles throughout the cytoplasm. These smaller droplets appeared to fuse, forming larger droplets, and others were contiguous with the normally occurring larger storage lipid droplets. A possible explanation, that these changes represent an ethanol-induced impairment of the metabolism of lipid entering the liver cells, is discussed.
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