Effect of Dietary Lipids upon Mitochondrial Composition and Swelling

Abstract

Liver mitochondria from rats fed 15% corn oil or 7% cod liver oil were more sensitive to silver and were less sensitive to thyroxine as swelling agents than similar preparations from animals fed 15% beef fat. No significant differences in swelling response to phosphate or copper were observed. Mitochondria from chicks fed 4 or 8% corn oil were more sensitive to silver, copper, and mercuric ions as swelling agents than similar preparations from chicks fed 4 or 8% beef fat. Preparations of mitochondria in sucrose with 0.01% a-tocopherol were unchanged in their responses to swelling agents. Chick liver mitochondria prepared in sucrose with 0.01 M propyl gallate were more sensitive to copper, whereas rat mitochondria prepared with propyl gallate were less sensitive to thyroxine. Mitochondria from both chicks and rats prepared with added propyl gallate were unchanged in their sensitivity to silver.