Transmission electron microscopy

showed that in the control group the microstructure of the neurons was normal, mitochondria were well arranged and distributed unevenly and orderly, mitochondrial cristae were compact, with a well-defined double membrane structure without swelling. The AHH group showed significant injuries than the control group, including a remarkable cell loss and karyopyknosis, significantly decreased mitochondria that were also swollen, without cristae and with a fragmented double membrane structure. Furthermore, some channels of the endoplasmic network were atypically swollen. Crocin pretreatment significantly reduced injuries compared with the AHH group, including cell loss and karyopyknosis in hippocampal neurons, with a significantly higher number of mitochondria in all the crocin-treated groups, decreased mitochondrial swelling, and with an intact double membrane structure and cristae, suggesting a protection of the mitochondrial structure, especially in the HHG that showed the best effect

实验结果表明，对照组神经元的微观结构正常：线粒体排列规整，分布不均但有序，线粒体嵴致密，双层膜结构清晰，未出现肿胀。AHH组的损伤程度显著高于对照组，表现为细胞大量丢失、核固缩，线粒体数量显著减少且发生肿胀，嵴消失、双层膜结构碎裂。此外，部分内质网通道出现异常肿胀。与AHH组相比，藏红花素（crocin）预处理可显著减轻神经元损伤，包括改善海马神经元的细胞丢失与核固缩情况；各藏红花素处理组的线粒体数量均显著升高，线粒体肿胀程度降低，双层膜结构与嵴保持完整，提示其对线粒体结构具有保护作用，其中以HHG组的保护效果最优。