Pd. Siersema et al., FERRITIN ACCUMULATION AND UROPORPHYRIN CRYSTAL-FORMATION IN HEPATOCYTES OF C57BL 10 MICE - A TIME-COURSE STUDY/, Cell and tissue research, 274(2), 1993, pp. 405-412
To establish the time-sequence relationship between ferritin accumulat
ion and uroporphyrin crystal formation in livers of C57BL/10 mice, a b
iochemical, morphological and morphometrical study was performed. Urop
orphyria was induced by the intraperitoneal administration of hexachlo
robenzene plus iron dextran and of iron dextran alone. Uroporphyrin cr
ystal formation started in hepatocytes of mice treated with hexachloro
benzene plus iron dextran at 2 weeks and in mice treated with iron dex
tran alone at 9 weeks. In the course of time, uroporphyrin crystals gr
adually increased in size. Uroporphyrin crystals were initially formed
in hepatocytes in the periportal areas of the liver, in which also fe
rric iron staining was first detected. The amount and the distribution
of the main storage form of iron in hepatocytes, ferritin, did not di
ffer between the two treatment groups. Ferritin accumulation preceded
the formation of uroporphyrin crystals in hepatocytes in both treatmen
t groups. Moreover, uroporphyrin crystals were nearly always found clo
se to ferritin iron. We conclude that uroporphyrin crystals are only f
ormed in hepatocytes in which also iron (ferritin) accumulates. Hexach
lorobenzene accelerates the effects of iron in porphyrin metabolism, b
ut does not influence the accumulation of iron into the liver.