Exocrine cell mitochondria of the rat pancreas after lead intoxication

The aim of the study was to evaluate alterations in exocrine cell mitochond ria of the rat pancreas after lead acetate intoxication. The experiment use d 45 rats divided into 2 experimental groups receiving lead acetate to drin k, of lead concentration 50 and 500 mg/dm(3) (ppm), and a control group giv en tap water. The animals from the experimental group were decapitated afte r 2, 4, 6 and 8 weeks, 5 rats from the control group after 8 weeks of the e xperiment. Rats from experimental groups decapitated after 8 weeks had lead administration stopped after six weeks and then, for two weeks tap water w as given. Pancreatic sections were examined with biochemical methods for th e activity of cytochrome oxidase and succinic dehydrogenase. Ultrastructura l and morphometric examinations were also performed. It was demonstrated that: a) exocrine cell mitochondria are particularly pr edisposed to lead effect, b) intoxication of rats with lower lead doses (50 ppm) causes reversible adaptative or compensatory changes in these organel les, c) intoxication of rats with higher lead doses (500 ppm) induces irrev ersible ultrastructural alterations in numerous mitochondria, including dam age to inner and to outer mitochondrial membranes, d) structural changes in the mitochondria in the course of lead intoxication are the morphological expression of the impairment of metabolic processes, associated with the in hibited activity of the respiratory enzymes: succinic dehydrogenase and cyt ochrome oxidase.