Preparation of the mitochondrial fraction The kidneys were immediately transferred to containers filled with saline at 0C to 4C and fragmented.

The fragments were transferred to containers filled with homogenization medium (100 mM Tris, ! ".4, #10mM manitol, "0 mM saccharose and10 mM $%T& in a 'olume of a ro(imately 10 ml) and triturated three times for three seconds at one minute inter'als in a Turra( ty e homogenizer at 100 to 1*0 r m. &fter cell lysis, the sus ension was rocessed in a refrigerated centrifuge at 4C (!+T&C!+ , !+M&C C- #1 ) for three cycles, the first at "*0g for fi'e minutes and the other two at 11.#00g for ten minutes. The reci itate resulting from the last centrifugation contained the mitochondrial fraction. Study of mitochondrial function The .asic arameters of mitochondrial res iration, i.e. state +++, state +/ and res iratory control ratio (-C- 0 state +++1state +/), were determined.