Objective: To study the changes of the ultrastructure of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after being treated by diamminedichloroplatinum.
Methods: The changes of morphological feature of HCC treated by diamminedichloroplatinum were observed with transmission electron microscope.
Results: The cells lost its specialized cell surface elements such as microvilli and cell-cell junctions. The nucleus chromatin condensed and segregated. The cytoplasm was hollow. The ribosomes on the endoplasmic reticulum reduced or lacked. The glycogen granules reduced. The mitochondria vacuolalized or produced flocculi, and the apoptotic bodies could be found.
Conclusion: The changes of the ultrastructure of HCC treated by diamminedichloroplatinum correspond with the procedure of programmed cell death. Apoptosis of HCC cells can be induced by diamminedichloroplatinum.