Open AccessAN ELECTRON MICROSCOPIC EXAMINATION OF AGE‐RELATED CHANGES IN THE RAT LIVER. The Influence of Diet
Author(s) -
Iwasaki Keisuke,
Maeda Hiroshi,
Shimokawa Isao,
Hayashida Masafumi,
Yu Byung Pal,
Masoro Edward J.,
Ikeda Takayoshi
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
acta patholigica japonica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.73
H-Index - 74
ISSN - 0001-6632
DOI - 10.1111/j.1440-1827.1988.tb02385.x
Subject(s) - lipofuscin , ultrastructure , age groups , biology , medicine , restricted diet , endocrinology , organelle , physiology , anatomy , biochemistry , demography , sociology
The influence of age and diet on the ultrastructure of hepatocytes is reported. The following dietary manipulations were investigated: Group 1, fed ad libitum a diet containing 21% protein; Group 2, fed a similar diet but restricted to 60% of the intake of Group 1 from 6 weeks of age onwards; Group 3, restricted from 6 weeks to 6 months of age and thereafter fed ad libitum; Group 4, restriction started at 6 months of age; Group 5, fed ad libitum a diet containing 12.6% protein. In all groups the size of hepatocytes was found not to increase during adult life. The size of hepatocytes in Groups 2 and 4 was the same as or larger than that of the other groups; thus food restriction resulted in a decreased number of hepatocytes. Changes in the structure of some organelles and the accumulation of lipofuscin granules occurred with advancing age and the extent of these age‐related changes was less in Groups 2 and 4 than in the other groups. These morphologic findings in conjunction with our previously reported metabolic findings provide a new view of the action of food restriction on the aging process. ACTA PATHOL JPN 38: 1119∼1130, 1988.