Ultrastructural Alterations of Rabbit Liver after Overdose of Nitrate

질산염과잉투여(窒酸鹽過剩投與)에 의(依)한 간장(肝臟)의 변화(變化)에 관한 전자현미경적연구(電子顯微鏡的硏究)

In order to know the morphological changes of liver in nitrate poisoning, the ultrastructural studies were carried out on the rabbit liver after potassium nitrate was administered orally at lethal dose, in single treatment, as acute case and at two different levels. 1.0 and 0.5g/kg of body weight daily for 43 and 60 days as chronic case, respectively, The results were summarized as followings: 1. In the hepatic cells of acute case, mitochondria were swollen, disappearance of cristae and variable in shape. Dilatation of rough endoplasmic reticulum and vacuoles containing degenerated cell organells were observed. Glyogen particles were decreased in number. Degenerated Kupffer cells were often seen in acute case. 2. In the hepatic cells of chronic case, there were increase of smooth endoplasmic reticulum, marked enlargement of rough endcplasmic reticulum, detachment of membrane bound ribosome and some rough endoplasmic reticulum changed into smooth endoplasmic reticulum. Secondary lysosome, abundant glycogen paricles and myelin-figure structures were also observed in the cytoplasm of the hepatic cells. The endothelial cells were proliferated in the area of the necrotic cells.