Ultrastructure of liver from piglets fed Tower rapeseed oil

Effect of Tower rapeseed oil (RO) containing lower (0.4%) erucic acid on the piglet liver was studied by electron microscopy. The animals were placed in two groups of four and were fed the diets for eight weeks. Animals in the treated group were given a basal diet comprising corn-soybean plus Tower RO at a 10% concentration; animals that were given the basal diet with no added oil served as the controls. Architecture of the liver from animals of the control group appeared normal. Ultrastructural changes in the liver of RO-fed animals included dilation of lumens and loss of microvilli in bile canaliculi. In addition, closely aligned mitochondrial cristae, elevated number of peroxisomes, and an unusual increase in the size and number of membrane bound spaces in zone 3 of liver acini were noticed. These alterations may reflect a disturbance in piglet liver functions following Tower RO feeding.