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Virchows Archiv B

, 61:307 | Cite as

Autometallographic detection of mercury in rat spinal cord after treatment with organic mercury

  • Jørgen Drasbæk Schiønning
  • Bjarne Møller-Madsen
Original Articles
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Accepted:

Summary

Autometallography was used to localize mercury in rat spinal cord after intraperitoneal administration of methylmercuric chloride (200 μg CH3HgCl daily). The technique permits small amounts of mercury sulfides and mercury selenides to be visualized by silverenhancement. Mercury deposits were observed by light microscopy only in neurons. In all of the spinal cord segments selected (first cervical segment, C1; fifth cervical segment, C5; sixth thoracic segment, T6; and first lumbar segment, L1) the mercury was observed with cumulative dosages of 6000 μg CH3HgCl and greater. Laminae VII, VIII, and IX contained the majority of stained neurons, whereas laminae IV, V, VI, and X had a relatively lower density of mercury-containing neurons. Stained neurons were confined to specific cell groups, such as Clarke’s column, nucleus intermediolateralis, nucleus cervicalis centralis, and nucleus dorsomedialis. At the ultrastructural level, mercury deposits were restricted to lysosomes of neurons and occasional accumulations in the lysosomes of ependymal cells.

Key words

Rats Spinal cord Methylmercuric chloride Autometallography Lysosomes 
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Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag 1992

Authors and Affiliations

  • Jørgen Drasbæk Schiønning
    • 1
  • Bjarne Møller-Madsen
    • 1
  1. 1.Department of Neurobiology, Institute of AnatomyUniversity of AarhusAarhus CDenmark

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