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Morphometric studies on lipoprotein particles in developing rat liver and their corticosteroid-induced changes during the late gestational period

Cell and Tissue Research volume 242, pages 661–667 (1985)Cite this article

Summary

Changes in lipoprotein particles in hepatocytes of the fetal rat liver have been studied morphometrically from days 15–21 of gestation. On all these days, distinct lipoprotein particles are found within the cisternae of the RER, Golgi complexes and Golgi-derived secretory vesicles. Their mean diameter is 30–31 nm. The number of Golgi complexes per hepatocyte, the lipoprotein particle number per Golgi complex and the volume density of the latter remain unchanged within the developmental period examined. The volume density of lipid droplets, however, shows a significant decrease during this time.

Following corticosteroid treatment, the mean diameter of lipoprotein particles, the number of lipoprotein particles per Golgi complex, the volume density of the Golgi complex, and that of the lipid droplets increase significantly within the examined period, whereas the number of Golgi complexes per hepatocyte is reduced. These data support the view that triglyceride production in the fetal liver is directly or indirectly stimulated by corticosteroids administered to the pregnant rat, thus giving rise to larger amounts of hepatic lipoproteins and lipids.

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Abbreviations

LP :

lipoprotein

VLDL :

very low density lipoproteins (d< 1.006 g/ml)

RER :

rough endoplasmic reticulum

ER :

endoplasmic reticulum

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Affiliations

  1. Institute of Pathological Biochemistry, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany

    H. Franke & R. Dargel

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  1. H. Franke
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  2. R. Dargel
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Franke, H., Dargel, R. Morphometric studies on lipoprotein particles in developing rat liver and their corticosteroid-induced changes during the late gestational period. Cell Tissue Res. 242, 661–667 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00225435

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00225435

Key words

  • Fetal liver, rat
  • Corticosteroids
  • Golgi complex
  • Lipoproteins
  • Lipids