Microbodies and the problem of mitochondrial regeneration in liver cells.

The cytoplasm of the hepatic cell contains, besides the well known organelles, microbodies, characterized by a single membrane, a finely granular matrix, and average dimensions below those of mitochondria. Microbodies, rare in normal cells, become more numerous in regenerative livers and in various pathological conditions. In these cases, they either evolve towards degenerative forms or else show structural modifications corresponding to transitional forms between them and mitochondria. This suggests to us that the microbodies can be precursors of mitochondria.