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Dependence of Mitochondrial Swelling on Oxidizable Substrates

Abstract

THAT the swelling of isolated mitochondria induced by various agents fails to occur under anaerobic conditions1,2 suggested to us that swelling may be dependent on respiration. The probability of this is increased by the finding3,4 that malonate prevents the swelling induced by succinate of mitochondria suspended in mannitol or sucrose solutions. We have therefore studied the effects of addition of substrates and inhibitors of oxidative metabolism on the swelling of mitochondria under various conditions. Mitochondria from livers of male rats (180–280 gm. body-weight) were prepared, suspended and stored in 0.44 M sucrose at 0° C. 0.05 ml. of mitochondrial suspension (25 mgm.-equivalents; 0.1 mgm. nitrogen) was added to 2.95 ml. of medium containing 2-amino-2-hydroxymethylpropane-1 : 3-diol (tris) chloride buffer, pH 7.5, and sucrose (final concentrations 25 mM and 0.3 M respectively). The optical density at 520 mµ. (D 520) was recorded for periods up to 1 hr., the temperature being thermostatically controlled at 20°. Decreases in D520were taken as a measure of swelling. Substrates were used in 1 mM concentration.

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CHAPPELL, J., GREVILLE, G. Dependence of Mitochondrial Swelling on Oxidizable Substrates. Nature 182, 813–814 (1958). https://doi.org/10.1038/182813a0

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