Abstract
Summary
Mitochondria were isolated from renal cortex, red medulla, white medulla and whole kidney of the rat. Electron micrographs showed very few mitochondria in the white medullary region of kidney compared to the other areas. Mitochondria in red medulla were somewhat larger and more spherical than those in cortex. Relative degrees of control of mitochondrial respiration by Pi acceptor (RCR) were: red medulla > whole kidney > cortex >> white medulla. Use of the lipophilic probe tetrabutylammonium bromide indicated that the inner membrane NADH dehydrogenase receptor site(s) were more lipophilic in red medullary mitochondria than in cortical mitochondria. Variation in energy gradients due to mitochondrial heterogeneity in the respective renal tissues could not be completely correlated with previously reported gradients in renal protein and RNA biosynthesis.
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