Microbodies of the pig liver. A morphologic and morphometric study.

The ultrastructure of hepatic microbodies of pigs was studied in liver samples fixed in phosphate-buffered 2% glutaraldehyde (pH 7.4) and postfixed in 2% osmium tetroxide. The microbodies were rounded or ovoid in shape and contained a granular matrix enclosed with a single limiting membrane. The matrix, in many of the organelles, contained an amorphous or an organized (crystalloid) area. The crystalloids were organized as fine, alternating electron-opaque and electron-lucent lines, or as groups of tubules arranged in more than one plane. Profiles of smooth endoplasmic reticulum were usually found near the microbodies. 34 microbodies were approximately 0.67 +/- 0.02 micrometer (mean +/- standard error) in length and were approximately 0.56 micrometer (+/- 0.02 micrometer) wide. The marginal plates consisted of strata which exhibited a periodicity. The average length and width of 17 plates was approximately 0.34 +/- 0.03 micrometer and 0.002 micrometer, respectively. This study clearly establishes the occurrence of marginal plates in microbodies of porcine liver.