Association between mitochondria and rough endoplasmic reticulum (rer) in rat hepatocytes.

The relative contact area between rough endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria of hepatocytes in newborn to 27 months old rats is described by morphometric methods. The contact area decreases from 52.62% to 27.46% of the mitochondrial surface between newborn and rats being 27 months old. However, there is an increase in the contact area per hepatocytic cytoplasm and in the fraction of rer in contact with mitochondria during the first days post partum.