[Morphometric characterization of hepatocytes during adaptation to extreme Antarctic factors]

The dynamics of ultrastructural changes in the hepatocytes of albino rats after prolonged influence of extreme Antarctic factors had been studied using the morphometric method. It was found that at the early stage of the experiment (7-45 days) the intracellular homeostasis in the hepatocytes was disturbed owing to a pronounced decrease in energy sources and plastic reserves (the decrease in numerical and volume density of the mitochondria, the reduction of the rough endoplasmic reticulum volume and the dilatation of its cisterns, the increase in the volume of the smooth endoplasmic reticulum). The following stages (up to 180 days) were characterized by a practically complete restoration of energy-plastic potential of the hepatocytes; at the conclusive stage of the experiment (270 days) the exhaustion of energy and, especially, of plastic reserves of the hepatocytes was noted (the significant decline in numerical density of the mitochondria and the relative volume of the rough endoplasmic reticulum).