The mitochondria in human normal and cholestatic liver

Abstract

Extrahepatic biliary obstruction is accompanied by reduced glycogen content of the liver cells, probably due to impaired glycogenesis as well as enhanced glycogenolysis. The impaired glycogenesis is most likely caused by reduced ATP synthesis, in turn resulting from faulty carbohydrate dissimilation, probably owing to disturbance at some point in the isocitric acid cycle (1). Considering that the enzymes of the Krebs’ cycle seem to be more or less completely located in the mitochondria it seemed justified to ascertain whether biliary obstruction gives rise to morphological changes in liver mitochondria.