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Some Ultrastructural and Biochemical Characteristics of Tumor Mitochondria Isolated in Albumin-containing Media¹

Departments of Pharmacology, Pathology, and Anatomy, Division of Myocardial Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77025

Mitochondria from a variety of mouse and rat tumors were studied. In general, tumor mitochondria isolated in a medium containing bovine serum albumin (BSA) exhibit respiratory control, while mitochondria isolated from the same tumor in the absence of BSA lack respiratory control. Some variability in oxidative phosphorylation was obtained among the various types of tumors. The rates of phosphorylating oxygen consumption of the tumor mitochondria isolated in BSA-containing media were always lower than those of mitochondria obtained from a variety of normal tissues. Electron microscopic studies of tumor mitochondria isolated with or without BSA revealed a heterogeneity of ultrastructural forms. In contrast to liver mitochondria, tumor mitochondria, although capable of oxidative phosphorylation, did not undergo in vitro transitions in morphology concomitant with changes in biochemical state. The possible role of albumin in preserving mitochondrial structure and function is discussed.

¹ These studies were supported by USPHS Grants HE 07906-06, HE 05435-09, CA 4517, CA 6240, and CA 10893; Grant GB 6895 from The National Science Foundation; and by the Texas and Houston Heart Associations. This paper was presented in part at the Seventh Annual Meeting of the American Society for Cell Biology, Denver, Colorado, November 1967. (Sordahl, L. A., and Schwartz, A. J. Cell Biol., 35: 128A, 1967.)

² USPHS Career Research Development Awardee (K₃, HE 11,875-05).

Received 12/12/68. Accepted 3/ 5/69.

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