Comparative ultrastructural studies on mitochondrial pathology in the liver of AIDS patients: Clusters of mitochondria, protuberances, 'minimitochondria,' vacuoles, and virus-like particles

Abstract

The present comparative conventional electron microscopic studies of the liver biopsy in 20 AIDS patients revealed numerous disintegrated mitochondria in hepatocytes, Kupffer cells lymphocytes, and eosinophile leukocytes. It was observed that (1) AIDS mitochondria are clustered, disorganized, and with protruberances; (2) the number of cristae is reduced and they are branched dichotomously, (3) vacuoles are located both within the mitochondria and, in their vicinity, (4) 'minimitochondria' are within the ordinary mitochondria; (5) virus-like particles are at the periphery of electron-dense mitochondrial remains.