Ultrastructural and enzyme histochemical studies in orotic acid-induced fatty liver

To confirm the relationship between fatty changes and zonal distribution in the hepatic lobules, we studied the ultrastructural and enzyme histochemical alterations in rat hepatocytes of orotic acid which blocks the release of lipoproteins, administered for 7 days, fatty changes were clearly detected in the hepatocytes, but no zonal distribution of fat in the hepatic lobules was detected. The most striking ultrastructural alterations were observed in the rough endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi complexes. The intensity of the staining of non-specific esterase and lipase was markedly decreased. Based on these data, functional aspects of the hepatocytes in orotic acid administration were discussed.