Histochemical study of strain L fibroblasts exposed to endotoxin. The effect on cellular organelles.

Endotoxin was found to be nonselective in its cytotoxicity of cellular organelles. All organelles studied displayed some degree of alteration which became more severe as the concentration of endotoxin was increased. The data suggest that the metabolism of the cell may be compromised at concentrations of endotoxin which do not affect cell viability. The problem involved in attempting to determine the actual concentration of endotoxin at the interface between the culture medium and the cell monolayer, in vitro, and the corresponding situation, in vivo, are also discussed.