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Changes in mitochondrial activity caused by ammonium salts and the protective effect of carnitine
M Bellei1, D Battelli, D M Guarriero
1Institute of General Pathology, Modena, Italy.
Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications
|January 16, 1989
Abstract:
Ammonium salts added to isolated rat liver mitochondria deviate alpha-ketoglutarate to glutamate synthesis, thus decreasing its availability as respiratory substrate. As a consequence a decrease of respiratory rate is observed which is paralleled by progressive mitochondrial swelling. It was demonstrated that L-carnitine may abolish this swelling thus improving structural and metabolic state of mitochondria.