Studies on the mitochondria in protein-energy defficient rats

The effect of protein energy deficiency on the electrolyte content and the swelling of mitechondria isolated from rat liver, kidey and thigh muscle was studied. The level of sodium was insignifcantly increased in the three types of mitochondria. Potassium concentration in the kidney mitochondria was slightly decreased, while in the liver and muscle mitochondria it was not changed. Calcium level did not show marked variations, while magnesium concentration was significantly increased in the liver mitochondria only. It was found that liver and kidney mitochondria isolated from the malnounshed animals were swollen. Inorganic phosphorous estimations showed no significant change. It was concluded that protein-energy malnutrition could interfere with the biochemical processes carried out by mitochondria, which may lead to a serious interference with the energetics of the cell

Effect of protein-energy malnutrition on the electrolyte level and total proteins in rat tissues

The effect of protein and energy deficilncy on the electrolyte levels in rat serum, kidney, liver and thigh muscle was studied. The present study revealed a significant increase of serum sodium in the malnourished animals as compared with the control group. The kidney was the only tissue which showed a marked demrease in the potassium level. Calcium was significantly decreased. In both the kidney and the thigh muscle, While magnesium was markedly decreased only in the liver. Inorganic phosphorus level was decreased significantly in the serum, kidney and liver. Total protein estimations revealed that only the liver and muscle may contribute in the compensation of protein deficiency. The results of this work were compared with the data reported in the literatuer