Mitochondrial Changes Induced by Iron Absorption in the Duodenal Absorptive Cells of Rats

Ten young albino rats of Wistar strain were used for this experiment. For 94 hours prior to the experiment all of the animals were put into narrow cages to prevent coprophagia and received nothing but distilled water. Ferrous chloride was obtained by reduction from ferric chloride with ascorbic acid just before administration. About 0.5 ml of the solution containing 3 mg of iron was infused into the stomach of eight rats through a polyethylene tube. Two rats were sacrificed after 30 minutes, 1, 2, and 3 hours, respectively. Another two rats were killed as control without receiving iron solution. Specimens of the duodenum approximately 2 cm distal to the pyloric ring were fixed in buffered 1 per cent osmium tetroxide (pH 7.4) with sucrose added, and then dehydrated in alcohol, embedded in Epon, and sectioned with a Porter-Blum microtome. Most thin sections were stained with uranyl acetate, and w e r e examined by a Hitachi HU-11A type electron microscope. O B S E R V A T I O N S