Mature Erythrocytes of Iguana iguana (Squamata, Iguanidae) Possess Functional Mitochondria.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 26367118.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1371/journal.pone.0136770 and PMC identifier 4569276.
- Licence recorded as CC BY.
- The licence permits redistribution, so the abstract is shown in full and the full text is available from the publisher.
Abstract
Electron microscopy analyses of Iguana iguana blood preparations revealed the presence of mitochondria within erythrocytes with well-structured cristae. Fluorescence microscopy analyses upon incubation with phalloidin-FITC, Hoechst 33342 and mitochondrial transmembrane potential (Δψm)-sensitive probe MitoTracker Red indicated that mitochondria i) widely occur in erythrocytes, ii) are polarized, and iii) seem to be preferentially confined at a "perinuclear" region, as confirmed by electron microscopy. The analysis of NADH-dependent oxygen consumption showed that red blood cells retain the capability to consume oxygen, thereby providing compelling evidence that mitochondria of Iguana erythrocytes are functional and capable to perform oxidative phosphorylation.
Medical subject headings
- Erythrocytes
- Iguanas
- Mitochondria