Ultrastructural cytochemical analysis of cardiomyocytes in young and old rats subjected to general overheating

It is shown that regenerative plastic insufficiency develops in cardiomyocytes of young and old rats after a one-time general overheating. Atrophic and necrobiotic alterations of the cardiomyocytes together with a decrease of the heart weight are noted as well. Intracellular alterations of cardiomyocytes of young and old rats are accompanied by a marked decrease of succinate dehydrogenase activity under these conditions. There-after its activity rises appreciably in young animals during the course of postheating restitution, while in old rats the activity of this enzyme remains low. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 120, № 11, pp. 540–544, November, 1995 Presented by V. V. Lyakhovich, Member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences