Quantitative and qualitative changes in the mitochondria in hepatocytes during postnatal development of male rats

Abstract

The volume density of mitochondria increases during postnatal development of the hepatocytes of male rats (test ages: 0 [birth], 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 14th, 21st, 28th day and 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th month) from 0.165 at birth to 0.236 on the 14th day, after which it decreases to 0.139 until the 6th month. At the same time the absolute volume of the mitochondria of the hepatocytes increases from 728.8 micrometer 3 at birth to 1225.5 micrometer 3 on the 14th day and reaches a maximum of 2102.3 micrometer 3 at the end of the 2nd month. The number of mitochondria per hepatocyte is 204 at birth. It increases continuously and reaches 2199 at the end of the 6th month. The volume of the average mitochondrion on the other hand diminishes during postnatal development from 3.83 micrometer 3 at birth to 0.64 micrometer 3 towards the end of the 6th month. Transverse divisions of mitochondria, budding of parts of mitochondria, autophagocytotic processes and degenerative changes can be observed throughout this period.