Morphological Alteration through Changes in Respiratory Enzyme Levels in the Liver Mitochondria of Jaundiced Patients*

Morphological and biochemical studies were made on the mitochondria from the liver of 20 patients with obstructive jaundice. These patients were classified into three groups according to their con-centrations of cytochrome a(+a3): Group 1 characterized with the con-centrations of cytochrome a(+a3) from 0.5 to 1.0 xlO"10 moles/mg of mito-chondrial protein, group II with those over 1.0, group III with those below 0.5. In group I, mitochondria showed round or oval shape with electron-lucent matrix. In group II, mitochondria showed enlargement as well as a tendency to increase of their cristae. Giant- or mega-mitochondria were often observed in this group. In group 111, mitochondria showed decrease and ir-regular arrangement of cristae, decrease in density of the matrix, disappearance of intramitochondrial granules, and swelling. Considering that the absolute phosphorylative activity was maintained at normal level or more, it was suggested that various morphological changes of liver mitochondria in group 1 and 11 including partition- or mega-mitochondria represent a series of adaptive phenomenon for maintaining the delicate energy metabolism in obstructive jaundice