Effect of Prolonged Cold Exposure on in Vitro Respiration and Anaerobic Glycolysis of Rat Liver

Abstract

Liver slices were prepared from rats that had been exposed to cold (5 ± 1°C) for intervals of 2, 4, 6 or 9 weeks, and assays were made for respiratory rate and the rate of anaerobic glycolysis. The results of the respiration experiments indicated the first 4 weeks' cold exposure was associated with increasing qo2 values, whereas exposure longer than 4 weeks was associated with qo2 that returned toward the control value. The results indicated further that the exact nature of the substances being metabolized in the conventional tissue slice experiment was unknown. The results of the anaerobic experiments indicated the rate of anaerobic glycolysis decreased progressively as the duration of cold exposure was increased.