Lability of intramitochondrial components in experimental liver injury

Abstract

The mitochondrial membrane has a limited ability to retain nucleotides and other co-factors like Mg⁺⁺ which are essential for maintaining normal respiration and efficient coupled phosphorylation. Exposure to hypotonic conditions, ageing, other environmental alterations and physiological states cause swelling of the mitochondria accompanied by biochemical modifications, such as loss of Mg⁺⁺ and of acid-soluble nucleotides with absorption maximum at 260 mµ, increase in adenosine triphosphatase activity and dissociation of phosphorylation from oxidation. Conditions favourable to oxidative phosphorylation or the presence of adenosine monophosphate apparently protect the mitochondria against this damage.