[Effect of freezing-thawing rates on the functional state and ionic permeability of rat liver mitochondria]

The effects of various rats of freezing-thawing reactions on the functional state and ionic permeability of rat liver mitochondria were studied. The degree of mitochondrial damage during the freezing -- thawing process depended on the rate of thawing rather than on that of freezing. The mitochondria which were slowly or rapidly frozen down to --196 degrees and subsequently slowly thawed revealed a higher membrane permeability for K+ Na+ and H+ and a more than 2-fold increase of the ATPase activity and the maximal rate of NADH oxidation via the antimycin-insensitive pathway in the presence of cytochrome c. This was concomitant with a complete inhibition of the ATP-synthetase activity and a marked inhibition of the respiratory chain function due to the efflux of cytochrome c from the inner mitochondrial membrane. After freezing and rapid thawing the functional activity of mitochondria changed insignificantly. A comparison of different cryoeffects demonstrated that the minimal damaging effects were exerted by rapid freezing -- rapid thawing, when the mitochondria partly restored their ability for oxidative phosphorylation.