Ultrastructural changes in rat liver cells following a single oral dose of TCDD.

Ultrastructural alterations of liver parenchymal cells involving the endoplasmic reticulum are known to occur in animals exposed to chlorinated diphenyl-p-dioxins in the diet (1-4). The observed changes are similar to those reported for other aromatic chlorinated hydrocarbons (5-8) and are usually associated with induction of hepatic microsomal enzyme systems (7, 9, 10). The present study was undertaken to correlate ultrastructural changes in rat liver cells with biochemical studies on liver microsomes and mitochondria for a period of 28 days following a single oral dose of 2,3, 7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD).