Rapid determination of the membrane potential of mitochondria in small biopsy specimens of the liver

In liver transplantation, graft viability is ideally to be determined before implantation. Integrity of mitochondria may be a prerequisite to a viable graft. A new method is presented, which allows for the determination of the membrane potential of mitochondria (MPM; mV) in state 4 respiration within 50 min in 40-mg specimens, employing rhodamine 123 as a probe. Normal control showed a MPM of 239.2 mV. Storage in saline at 37 degrees C yielded an impaired MPM of 153.5 mV within 3 h. The cold storage at 1 degree C could preserve MPM at quasi-normal after 3 h but reduced it significantly after 24 h to 222.2 mV in saline (p < 0.005 vs. control) and 231.0 mV in UW solution (p < 0.05 vs. control): the difference between the 24-hour values was significant (p < 0.05).