Jove
Visualize
Contact Us

Related Experiment Videos

Subcellular morphometric and biochemical analysis of developing rat hepatocytes.

A Herzfeld, M Federman, O Greengard

    The Journal of Cell Biology
    |May 1, 1973
    PubMed
    Summary

    Hepatocyte development involves distinct phases, with mitochondria changing significantly in size and protein content from gestation through postnatal life. This study tracks key organelle changes during rat liver maturation.

    Related Concept Videos

    You might also read

    Related Articles

    Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

    Sort by
    Same author

    2026 American Association for Thoracic Surgery (AATS) expert consensus statement: Antithrombotic management of neonates/infants undergoing cardiac interventions.

    The Journal of thoracic and cardiovascular surgery·2026
    Same author

    Proliferation and differentiation of androgenetic cells in fetal mouse chimeras.

    Roux's archives of developmental biology : the official organ of the EDBO·2017
    Same author

    The effect of gender and gender match on mortality in pediatric heart transplantation.

    American journal of transplantation : official journal of the American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons·2013
    Same author

    Novel techniques in the use of bivalirudin for cardiopulmonary bypass anticoagulation in a child with heparin-induced thrombocytopenia.

    Perfusion·2011
    Same author

    Inhibition of hendra virus fusion.

    Journal of virology·2006
    Same author

    Transmission electron microscopy of intracellular particles of polyethylene from joint replacement prostheses: size distribution and cellular response.

    Biomaterials·2001
    JoVE
    x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
    ABOUT JoVE
    OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
    AUTHORS
    Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
    LIBRARIANS
    TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
    RESEARCH
    JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
    EDUCATION
    JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
    Terms & Conditions of Use
    Privacy Policy
    Policies

    Area of Science:

    • Hepatocyte differentiation and liver development
    • Mitochondrial biogenesis and function
    • Cellular and subcellular morphometrics

    Background:

    • Liver development involves complex changes in hepatocyte structure and function.
    • Mitochondria play a crucial role in cellular energy metabolism and undergo significant developmental changes.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To quantitatively analyze biochemical and morphometric changes in rat liver during development.
    • To characterize distinct phases of hepatocyte differentiation based on subcellular compartment evolution.

    Main Methods:

    • Quantitative biochemical analysis of liver homogenates.
    • Electron microscopy and morphometric analysis of hepatocytes.
    • Measurement of mitochondrial protein and enzyme levels (cytochrome c oxidase, AST, GDH, glutaminase, OAT).

    Related Experiment Videos

  • Assessment of endoplasmic reticulum (rough and smooth) and mitochondrial surface area, volume, and number.

    • Main Results:

    • Mitochondrial protein content per gram of liver reached 34% of adult levels by late gestation, with rapid increases in key enzymes.
    • Mitochondrial volume and number peaked by postnatal day 2, while smooth ER surface area peaked by day 12.
    • Adult mitochondria are smaller and denser than fetal mitochondria.
    • Hepatocytes triple in size after postnatal day 12 without increasing organelle concentration.

    Conclusions:

    • Rat liver development proceeds through distinct phases characterized by specific changes in subcellular compartments.
    • Mitochondrial size, density, and enzyme composition evolve significantly during development.
    • Hepatocyte growth post-development involves cytoplasmic expansion rather than increased organelle density.