Effect of carbon tetrachloride poisoning on potassium, sodium and water content of liver mitochondria

A physiological test of mitochondrial function, which measures the ability of the mitochondria to concentrate potassium in vitro, was employed in a study of carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatotoxicity. The force feeding of carbon tetrachloride resulted in a) a reduction in the potassium content of rat liver mitochondria, b) an impairment in the ability of potassium depleted mitochondria to reaccumulate potassium and c) an increased water content of the mitochondria. The changes could be demonstrated unequivocally at 10.5 hr. and became extensive at 20 hr. The results do not support the view that the increase in liver fat is the direct result of a lesion in the mitochondria since the time course of impairment in mitochondrial potassium and water metabolism lags behind the fatty changes of the whole liver.