Diurnal rhythm in endoplasmic reticulum of rat liver: electron microscopic study.

Electron microscopy of rat hepatocytes revealed a diurnal variation in the relative amounts of endoplasmic reticulum structures and regional differences in their distribution within the hepatic lobule. The diurnal changes in smooth and rough endoplasmic reticulum structures were compared with the diurnal changes in the hepatic microsomal enzyme hexobarbital oxidase. In the control group, at the time when enzyme activity was maximum, the amount of smooth endoplasmic reticulum was also maximum and vice versa. When the enzyme rhythm was abolished, as in blinded rats, the diurnal rhythm in the endoplasmic reticulum was also abolished.