What are the Histological Features of Tissues Involved in Beta Oxidation?
Tissues that are heavily involved in beta oxidation, such as the liver and skeletal muscles, display certain histological features:
- Liver: The liver cells, or hepatocytes, are rich in mitochondria. This is observable under the microscope as these cells typically have a granular cytoplasm due to the high mitochondrial content. - Skeletal Muscle: Skeletal muscle fibers, especially type I (slow-twitch) fibers, are also rich in mitochondria. Histological staining techniques, such as succinate dehydrogenase staining, can highlight the high mitochondrial density in these fibers.