ON ISOLATED HEPATOCYTES MITOCHONDRIAL SWELLING-INDUCED IN HYPOOSMOTICMEDIUM DOES NOT AFFECT THE RESPIRATION RATE

In isolated hepatocytes incubated in hypoosmotic media, a large increa se in the mitochondrial volume is not directly involved in the activat ion of respiration. Moreover, results of the quantification of the var ious bioenergetic parameters are not in accordance with an activation of the respiratory chain as previously proposed (Halestrap, A.P. (1989 ) Biochim. Biophys. Acta, 973, 355-382), but point more to an inhibiti on of respiration. The same respiration rate is obtained in hypoosmola r incubation media in vitro and in situ for a higher overall thermodyn amic driving force over the electron transport chain.