Summary
Ultracytochemical studies of the performic acid-phosphotungstic acid (PFP) reaction and acid phosphatase (ACPase) activity in the Ito cells (fat-storing cells) of the rat liver revealed two kinds of lipid droplets: one surrounded by a structure giving PFP- and ACPase-positive reactions, recognized as a lysosome, the other without such a reactive structure displaying a limiting membrane.
To elucidate the function of the lysosomes surrounding lipid droplets, experiments were carried out on the following groups of animals: (1) Vitamin A-deficient rats were fed a normal diet containing vitamin A, and (2) hypervitaminosis A was experimentally induced in previously untreated rats. Lipid droplets were studied in both groups.
No lipid droplets reappearing in an early stage after restoration of the regular diet were either membrane-bounded or surrounded by lysosomes. Lipid droplets surrounded by lysosomes could be seen in rats fully restored from vitamin-A deficiency and more frequently in animals suffering from hypervitaminosis A. It seems likely that as a result of the lysosomal activity in the immediate vicinity of the lipid droplets a degradation of the vitamin A-containing lipid droplets takes place in the Ito cells. Therefore, the lysosome-surrounded lipid droplets can be regarded as a sort of autophagolysosome; these lysosomes may play a role in preventing an unrestricted increase in the number and volume of lipid droplets.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Blouin A, Bolender R, Weibel E (1977) Distribution of organelles and membranes between hepatocytes and nonhepatocytes in the rat liver parenchyma. J Cell Biol 72:441–455
Bronfenmajer S, Schaffner F, Popper H (1966) Fat-storing cells (lipocytes) in human liver. Arch Pathol 82:447–453
Brunk U, Ericsson JLE (1972) The demonstration of acid phosphatase in in vitro cultured tissue cells. Histochem J 4:349–363
Dingle JT (1968) Vacuoles, vesicles and lysosomes. Br Med Bull 24:141–145
Friend DS, Farquhar MG (1967) Functions of coated vesicles during protein absorption in the rat vas deferens. J Cell Biol 35:357–376
Fujioka A, Ogawa K (1979) Ultracytochemistry of the cell membrane. II. The application of phosphotungstic acid staining to microvillus membranes of the cat small intestine. Acta Histochem Cytochem 12:97–119
Futterman S, Andrews JS (1964) The composition of liver vitamin A ester by liver microsomes. J Biol Chem 329:4077–4080
Glaumann H, Ericsson JLE, Marzella L (1981) Mechanisms of intralysosomal degradation with special reference to autophagocytosis. Int Rev Cytol 73:149–182
Glinsmann WH, Ericsson JLE (1966) Observations on the subcellular organization of hepatic parenchymal cells. Lab Invest 15:762–777
Gordon GB, Miller LR, Bensch KG (1965) Studies on the intracellular digestive process in mammalian tissue culture cells. J Cell Biol 25:41–55
Greenspan FP (1946) The convenient preparation of per-acids. J Am Chem Soc 68:907
Harrison EH, Smith JE, Goodman DS (1979) Unusual properties of retinyl palmitate hydrolase activity in rat liver. J Lipid Res 20:760–771
Hirosawa K, Yamada E (1973) The localization of the vitamin A in the mouse liver as revealed by electron microscope radioautography. J Electron Microsc 22:337–346
Holtzman E, Novikoff AB, Villaverde H (1967) Lysosomes and GERL in normal and chromatolytic neurons of the rat ganglion nodosum. J Cell Biol 33:419–435
Ikejiri N, Tanikawa K (1977) Effects of vitamin A and estrogen on the sinusoidal cells in the rat liver. In: Wisse E, Knook DL (eds) Kupffer cells and other liver sinusoidal cells. North-Holland, Amsterdam, pp 83–92
Ito T, Shibasaki S (1968) Electron microscopic study on the hepatic sinusoidal wall and the fat-storing cells in the normal human liver. Arch Histol Jpn 29:137–192
Knook DL, Seffelaar AM, De Leeuw AM (1982) Fat-storing cells of the rat liver. Their isolation and purification. Exp Cell Res 139:468–471
Kobayashi K, Takahashi Y (1971) Effects of the administration of large doses of vitamin A on the fine structure of rat liver with special reference to changes in the fat storing cell. Arch Histol Jpn 33:421–443
Lotan R (1980) Effects of vitamin A and its analogs (retinoids) on normal and neoplastic cells. Biochem Biophys Acta 605:33–91
Mahadevan S, Ayyoub NI, Roels OA (1966) Hydrolysis of retinol palmitate by rat liver. J Biol Chem 241:57–64
Mallia AK, Smith JE, Goodman DS (1975) Metabolism of retinol-binding protein and vitamin A during hypervitaminosis A in the rat. J Lipid Res 16:180–188
Mcgee JOD, Patrick RS (1972) The role of perisinusoidal cells in hepatic fibrogenesis. Lab Invest 26:429–440
Misch DW, Misch MS (1969) Reversible activation of lysosomes by dimethyl sulphoxide. Nature 221:862–863
Muto Y, Goodman DS (1972) Vitamin A transport in rat plasma. Isolation and characterization of retinol-binding protein. J Biol Chem 247:2533–2541
Nakane PK (1963) Ito's fat-storing cell of the mouse liver. Anat Rec 145:265–266
Novikoff A, Essner E (1960) The liver cell. Some new approaches to its study. Am J Med Sci 29:102–131
Ogawa K, Abe S, Tsuchiya A (1978) Recent topics on lysosomes. From morphological point-of view. In: Lysosome research group (ed) Lysosomes and cardiovascular diseases. Progress in lysosome studies, II. Ishiyaku Publishing Co., Ltd., Tokyo, pp 1–9 (In Japanese)
Pfeifer U (1973) Cellular autophagy and cell atrophy in the rat liver during long-term starvation. Virchows Arch Abt B Zell Path 12:195–211
Prystowsky JH, Smith JE, Goodman DS (1979) Retinyl palmitate hydrolase activity (RPHA) in normal rat liver. Fed Proc 38:281 (Abstract)
Roels OA (1969) The influence of vitamin A and E on lysosomes. In: Dingle JT, Fell HB (eds) Lysosomes in biology and pathology, vol 1. North-Holland, Amsterdam, pp 254–275
Saito T, Ogawa K (1974) Lysosomal changes in rat hepatic parenchymal cells after glucagon administration. Acta Histochem Cytochem 7:1–18
Schnack H, Stockinger L, Wewalka F (1966) Bindegewebszellen des Disseschen Raumes in der menschlichen Leber bei Normalfällen und pathologischen Zuständen. Wien Klin Wchschr 78:715–724
Smith JE, Goodman DS (1979) Retinol-binding protein and the regulation of vitamin A transport. Fed Proc 38:2504–2509
Spurr AR (1969) A low-viscosity epoxy resin embedding medium for electron microscopy. J Ultrastruct Res 26:31–43
Takeuchi T, Sasaki M, Shiraishi Y, Akasaka M, Otsuka Y (1967) The histochemical observation of reticuloendothelial system in the liver. J Jpn Soc RES 7:107–125 (In Japanese)
Tanuma Y, Ito T (1978) Electron microscope study on the hepatic sinusoidal wall and fatstoring cells in the bat. Arch Histol Jpn 41:1–39
Wake K (1971) “Sternzellen” in the liver: Perisinusoidal cells with special reference to storage of vitamin A. Am J Anat 132:429–461
Wake K (1974) Development of vitamin A-rich lipid droplets in multivesicular bodies of rat liver stellate cells. J Cell Biol 63:683–691
Wake K (1980) Perisinusoidal stellate cells (fat-storing cells, interstitial cells, lipocytes), their related structure in and around the liver sinusoids, and vitamin A-storing cells in extrahepatic organs. Int Rev Cytol 66:303–353
Yamamoto M, Enzan H (1975) Morphology and function of Ito cell (fat-storing cell) in the liver. Rec Adv RES Res 15:54–75
Yumoto S (1982) Isolation and characterization of lipid granules from fat-storing cells. In: Wisse E, Knook DL (eds) Sinusoidal liver cells. Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp 53–60
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
This work was supported by Grants-in-Aid for Co-operative Research (Nos. 437001 and 57370001) from the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture, Japanese Government
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Yamamoto, K., Ogawa, K. Fine structure and cytochemistry of lysosomes in the Ito cells of the rat liver. Cell Tissue Res. 233, 45–57 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00222231
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00222231