Effect of long-term starvation on the rat liver lysosomes.

The effect of 120- and 240-h starvation on rats hepatocytes ultrastructure and particularly the changes of the lysosomes were studied. Eelectronmicroscopically and cytochemically there have been observed diminution of the number of mitochondria and degranulation and vacuolzation of the ER. At the same time Golgi complex was hypertrophied and the number of lysosomes was much increased, mainly those of the autophagic type. Biochemically was shown, that the activity of some acid hydrolases (beta-glucosidase, alpha- and beta-galactosidases, beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase, beta-glucuronidase and arylsulphatases A and B) in the liver of starved rats was markedly expressed. The sedimentation properties of the lysosomes and the lysosomal membrane stability was damaged as well. The data received have been discussed in the light of the reconstructive role of lysosomes.