Ultrastructural alterations of hepatocytes in short-lived model fish, Nothobranchius furzeri Jubb, 1971.

The hepatocytes from 40 Nothobranchius furzeri, a promising model in biogerontology, were subjected to ultrastructural examination to provide a visual guide to the repertoire of hepatocyte alterations recognized in this species. The observed hepatocyte alterations were mostly regressive in nature varying in the level of reversibility. In addition to the frequent occurrence of cytoplasmic deposits of lipids and glycogen, this study highlights the first findings of giant mitochondria with paracrystalline structures in hepatocytes and monocytic cells of the spleen in N. furzeri, which are currently of great interest to human hepatologists. The results presented here show striking similarities to those described in traditional vertebrate models and humans, underlying the usefulness of N. furzeri as a vertebrate model organism.