Effect of hypothyroidism on the biogenesis of free mitochondria in the cerebral hemispheres and in cerebellum of rat during postnatal development.

The effect of propylthiouracil-induced neonatal hypothyroidism on some aspects of the biogenesis of free (non-synaptosomal) mitochondria in the cerebral hemispheres and in the cerebellum of developing rat has been studied. The results obtained show that in hypothyroid rats mitochondrial DNA synthesis is delayed, mitochondrial RNA synthesis is not affected and cytochrome aa3 content of mitochondria is lower than in controls. Furthermore ultrathin sections of 14- and 21-day old hypothyroid rat cerebella show mitochondria with an altered ultrastructural organization and large intracristal spaces.