Mitochondrion-desmosome complexes in human hepatocytes

Summary Mitochondrion-desmosome complexes similar to those seen in other epithelia were observed in hepatocytes from normal and diseased human livers of children and adults. Their occurrence could not be explained by random distribution of mitochondria in the cells. The close associations of mitochondria with desmosomes supported the hypothesis that the latter might be special areas of intercellular ionic diffusion between hepatocytes.This work was supported in part by United States Public Health Service Grants AI-1059 and TI AM-5384 from the National Institute of Arthritis and Metabolic Diseases, 5 MOl FR 000-50 from the General Clinical Research Center, HD 00674 from the National Institute of Child Health and Development and by a grant from the Life Insurance Medical Research Fund G-65-50.The author is very grateful to Dr. Alex B. Novikoff for the use of the facilities of his laboratory (supported by United States Public Health Service Grant CA-06576), to Mr. Nelson Quintana and Mrs. Julie Windsor for their superb technical assistance and to Miss Marianne Van Hooren for preparation of the photographs.