Studies on mitochondrial macromolecular syntheses in various organs of aging animals labeled with 3H-precursors as revealed by electron microscopic radioautography

In order to study the aging changes of intramitochondrial macromolecular synthesis in various organs of aging animals during the development and aging, 10 groups of developing and aging mice, each consisting of 3 individuals, total 30, from fetal day 19 to postnatal newborn at day 1, 3, 9, 14 and adult at month 1, 2, 6, 12 to 24 were injected with 3H-thymidine a DNA precurson, another 10 groups consisting of 3 individuals, total 30, were injected with 3H-uridine a RNA precursor, and another 10 groups of 30 individuals were injected with 3H-leucine a protein precursor, total 90 individuals. Then, all the animals were sacrificed 1 hr after the injections and the liver tissues, the lung tissues, the kidney tissues, the testis and ovary tissues, the adrenal tissues were taken out, fixed and processed for electron microscopic radioautography. On electron microscopic radioautograms obtained from each animal, ten photographs in respective groups, numbers of mitochondria per cell profile area, numbers of labeled mitochondria per cell and the mitochondrial labeling index (LI) labeled with 3H-thymidine showing DNA synthesis, LI labeled with 3H-uridine showing RNA synthesis, and LI labeled with 3H-leucine showing protein synthesis, in various organs, were counted and the results in various organs in respective aging groups were compared, respectively. From the results, it was demonstrated that the numbers of mitochondria in hepatocytes as well as in 3 zones of the adrenal cortex, the zona glomerulosa, fasciculata and reticularis of mice at various ages increased from fetal day 19 to postnatal month 1 due to development and aging of animals. On the other hand, the numbers of labeled mitochondria and the labeling indices of intramitochondrial DNA syntheses incorporating 3H-thymidine in hepatocytes and 3 zones of cortical cells increased from fetal day 19 to postnatal month 1 and decreased to month 24. The numbers of labeled mitochondria and the labeling indices of intramitochondrial RNA syntheses incorporating 3H-uridine in hepatocytes and 3 zones of cortical cells increased from fetal day 19 to postnatal month 1 and decreased to month 24. The numbers of labeled mitochondria and the labeling indices of intramitochondrial RNA syntheses incorporating 3H-uridine in hepatocytes and 3 ones of cortical cells increased from fetal day 19 to postnatal month 1 and decreased to month 24. Moreover, some other organs such as the lung and the testis were also review and discussed. From the results, it was shown that the activity of intramitochnodrial DNA synthesis, RNA synthesis, and protein synthesis in hepatocytes, adrenal cortical cells, pulmonary cells and testicular cells in developing and aging mice as well as some other organs increased and decreased due to development and aging.