Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Electron probe X-ray microanalysis of human muscle biopsies

  • Published:
Histochemistry Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

The elemental composition of human muscle fibres have been determined by electron probe microanalysis. In order to distinguish between different types of fibres, two approaches were used. In one approach individual fibres were isolated, portions of them used for a typing by histochemical methods and the main part used for X-ray microanalysis. In the other approach the muscle biopsy was serial-sectioned, some sections used for a histochemical typing and the others (16 μm thick cryosections) used for X-ray microanalysis in the electron microscope.

The comparison of the ratios between P, S and K in Study No. 1 and 2 indicates different concentrations of sulphur in the subsarcolemmal zone and in the interior of the fibre. Both routes give information on all elements (except the ten lightest ones) contained in the fibres or in sections of them, provided the concentration is high enough. In order to obtain quantitative data, expressed as mmol/kgdw, the spectra of the specimens were compared to those of standards of known composition and the data subjected to a so called ZAF-correction (corrections for the atomic number effect, absorption of X-rays in the specimen and secondary fluorescence). Quantitative data concerning phosphorus, sulphur, chlorine and potassium were obtained in Study No. 2. A significantly higher sulphur concentration was found in type IIA muscle fibres as compared to those of type I.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Batra, G.J., Bewley, D.K., Edwards, R.H.T., Jones, D.A.: Analysis of muscle biopsies for sodium, chlorine, potassium and phosphorus by neutron activation. Inter. J. Appl. Radiat. Isotop. 27, 267–271 (1976)

    Google Scholar 

  • Bergström, J.: Muscle electrolytes in man determined by neutron activation analysis on needle biopsy specimens. A study on normal subjects, kidney patients and with chronic diarrhea. Scand. J. Clin. Lab. Invest. 14, Suppl. 68, 1–110 (1962)

    Google Scholar 

  • Brooke, M.H., Kaiser, K.K.: Muscle fiber types: How many and what kind? Arch. Neurol. (Chicago) 23, 369–379 (1970)

    Google Scholar 

  • Burke, R.E., Levine, D.N., Zajac, F.E.: Mammalian motor units: physiological-histochemical correlation in three types in cat gastrocnemius. Science 174, 709–712 (1971)

    Google Scholar 

  • Cummins, P., Perry, S.V.: The subunits and biological activity of polymorphic forms of tropomyosin. Biochem. J. 133, 765–777 (1973)

    Google Scholar 

  • Cummins, P., Perry, S.V.: Chemical and immunochemical characteristics of tropomyosins from striated and smooth muscle. Biochem. J. 141, 43–49 (1974)

    Google Scholar 

  • Dickerson, J.W.T., Widdowson, E.M.: Chemical changes in skeletal muscle during development. Biochem. J. 74, 247–257 (1960)

    Google Scholar 

  • Essén, B., Jansson, E., Henriksson, J., Taylor, A.W., Saltin, B.: Metabolic characteristics of fibre types in human skeletal muscle. Acta Physiol. Scand. 95, 153–165 (1975)

    Google Scholar 

  • Heinrich, K.F.J.: X-ray absorption uncertainty. In: The Electron Microprobe, p. 296–377. New York: John Wiley 1966

    Google Scholar 

  • Kugelberg, E.: Distribution, histochemical and physiological properties of normal and reinnervated rat motor units. In: Abstracts of Communications and invited reports at the Fourth International Congress of Electromyography, p. 85, Brussels: 1971

  • Leger, J., Bouveret, P., Schwartz, K., Swynghedauw, B.: A comparative study of skeletal and cardiac tropomyosins. Pflügers Arch. 362, 271–277 (1976)

    Google Scholar 

  • Martin, P.M., Poole, D.M.: Electron probe microanalysis: the relation between intensity ratio and concentration. Metallurg. Rev. 150, 19–46 (1971)

    Google Scholar 

  • Mizuhira, V.: Elemental analysis of biological specimens by electron probe X-ray microanalysis. Acta Histochem. Cytochem. 9, 69–87 (1976)

    Google Scholar 

  • Ogata, T., Murata, F.: Cytological features of three fibre types in human striated muscle. Tohoku J. Exp. Med. 99, 225–245 (1969)

    Google Scholar 

  • Padykula, H.A., Herman, E.: The specificity of the histochemical method for adenosine triphosphatase. J. Histochem. Cytochem. 3, 170–195 (1955)

    Google Scholar 

  • Reed, S.J.B.: Characteristic fluorescence corrections in elelctron probe microanalysis. Brit. J. Appl. Phys. 16, 913–926 (1965)

    Google Scholar 

  • Roomans, G.M., Van Gaal, H.L.M.: Organometallic and organometalloid compounds as standards for microprobe analysis of epoxy resin embedded tissue. J. Microsc. 100, 235–240 (1977)

    Google Scholar 

  • Russ, J.C.: X-ray microanalysis in the biological sciences. J. Submicr. Cytol. 6, 55–79 (1974)

    Google Scholar 

  • Somlyo, A.V., Shuman, H., Somlyo, A.P.: Composition of sarcoplasmic reticulim in situ by electron prove X-ray microanalysis. Nature 168, 556–558 (1977a)

    Google Scholar 

  • Somlyo, A.V., Shuman, H., Somlyo, A.P.: Elemental distribution in striated muscle and the effects of hypertonicity. Electron probe analysis of cryosections. J. Cell Biol. 74, 828–857 (1977b)

    Google Scholar 

  • Spurr, A.R.: A low-viscosity epoxy resin embedding medium for electron microscopy. J. Ultrastruct. Res. 26, 31–43 (1969)

    Google Scholar 

  • Taylor, A.W., Essén, B., Saltin, B.: Myosin ATPase in skeletal muscle of healthy men. Acta Physiol. Scand. 91, 568–570 (1974)

    Google Scholar 

  • Theisen, R.: Quantitative electron microprobe analysis. Berlin-Heidelberg-New York: Springer 1965

    Google Scholar 

  • Warner, R.R., Coleman, J.R.: Biological thin specimen microprobe quantitation procedure that calculates composition ρ and χ. Micron 6, 79–84 (1975)

    Google Scholar 

  • Wroblewski, R., Jansson, E.: Fine structure of single fibres of human skeletal muscle. Cell Tissue Res. 161, 471–476 (1975)

    Google Scholar 

  • Wroblewski, R., Gremski, W., Roomans, G.M., Nordemar, R., Edström, L.: Electron probe X-ray microanalysis of human skeletal muscle involved in rheumatoid arthritis. In preparation 1977

  • Yasui, B., Fuchs, F., Briggs, F.N.: The role of sulfhydryl groups of tropomyosin and troponin in the calcium control of actomyosin contractility. J. Biol. Chem. 243, 735–742 (1968)

    Google Scholar 

  • Zs.Nagy, I., Pieri, C., Giuli, C., Bertoni-Freddari, C., Zs.Nagy, V.: Energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis of the electrolytes in biological bulk specimens. I. Specimen preparation, beam penetration and quantitative analysis. J. Ultrastruct. Res. 58, 22–33 (1977)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Wenner-Gren Institute, University of Stockholm, Norrtullsgatan 16, S-113 45, Stockholm, Sweden

    Romuald Wroblewski & Godfried M. Roomans

  2. Karolinska sjukhuset, S-10401, Stockholm, Sweden

    Eva Jansson & Lars Edström

Authors
  1. Romuald Wroblewski
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Godfried M. Roomans
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Eva Jansson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Lars Edström
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Wroblewski, R., Roomans, G.M., Jansson, E. et al. Electron probe X-ray microanalysis of human muscle biopsies. Histochemistry 55, 281–292 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00508796

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00508796

Keywords

Search

Navigation