Ultrastructure of the Liver in Infected and Endotoxin-poisoned Mice Exposed to Cold

Exposure of mice to cold caused loss of gycogen from parenchymal cells but little or no change in microvilli or endothelium. Infection or poisoning with endotoxin caused only occasional foci of endothelial damage in animals housed at room temperature, but produced drastic alterations to endothelial and parenchymal cells at 10 C. Damage to parenchymal cells appeared to be secondary to damage to endothelial cells. It is inferred that the extent of damage to the liver in mice exposed to cold may contribute to the increased susceptibility of animals to the lethal effects of infection with Salmonella typhimurium, strain RIA, or to endotoxin of S. typhimurium.