Mitochondrial DNA contents were measured using non-radioactive DNA probes for specific mtDNA sequences. The nuclear repetitive DNA sequence, LINE, was used as an internal standard marker. Age-dependent decreases in the mtDNA/nucDNA ratio in rat hepatic cells were confirmed with this method and, furthermore, a similar decrease was found in cardiac muscles. On the other hand, in thigh skeletal muscles such a decrease was not observed, slight increases being rather found in 18- to 24-month-old rats. The possible relationship of the decrease in mtDNA and the mechanism underlying animal senescence was discussed.
Age dependency of mitochondrial DNA decrease differs in different tissues of rat. Publishing Authors By Initials