[Morphologic and histochemical studies of the development of chloroquine-induced storage disease in the semilunar ganglion of the rat].

Intralysosomal storage of polar lipids can be induced in rats by treatment with Chloroquine, which belongs to cationic amphiphilic compounds. The drug accumulates in lysosomes of cells of the peripheral nervous system and interferes with the catabolism of polar lipids. As a consequence the lysosomes are transformed into bodies which are characterized by an internal lamellated pattern. The lipids stored in the neuron cells are phospholipids. The purpose of the present study was to check up the chronological development of the structural and lipid histochemical alterations within neuron cells. A significant enlargement of perikarya was observed after treatment of 94 d. A moderate increase of lysosomes and phospholipids was noticed after 82 d. Some typical foam-cells were seen after a period of 250 d. Moreover, a special mitochondrial alteration was observed, which could express close correlations between phospholipid metabolism and damaged parts of mitochondria.