Respiratory Characteristics of Rat Liver Mitochondria Depend on the Duration of Moderate Hypothermia.

The development of pathological or compensatory-and-adaptive reactions in homoeothermic animals during various periods of hypothermia can be caused by shifts in the respiratory functions of the mitochondria. Short-term hypothermia promoted an increase in the rates of the glutamate- and succinate-dependent respiration of mitochondria. Phosphorylation rate increased as well, while oxidative phosphorylation coefficient (P/O), respiratory control, and 2,4-DNP sensitivity depended. Changes in respiratory characteristics in the dynamics of prolonged hypothermia depends on the type of substrate. Prolongation of hypothermia to 1 h was associated with further intensification of succinate-dependent respiration, decrease in P/O and respiratory control, while prolongation of hypothermia to 3 h led to their normalization. The majority of respiratory characteristics of glutamate-dependent respiration did not change under these conditions and their levels were the same as during short-term hypothermia.