Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Elemental composition of anatomically distinct regions of rat liver

  • Published:
Biological Trace Element Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Experiments were conducted to test the commonly held assumption that analysis of a portion of rat liver is representative of the elemental concentration of the whole organ. Male Sprague-Dawley rats (initial body weight approximately 250 g) fed a chow diet or weanling male Long-Evans rats (initial body weight approximately 50 g) fed a semipurified diet with or without copper in the mineral premix were sacrificed after 4 wk on their respective diets and livers were dissected into seven portions representing major anatomical divisions of this organ. Elemental analyses by atomic absorption spectroscopy (calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, copper, manganese), atomic emission spectroscopy (sodium, potassium), or colorimetric assay (phosphorus) demonstrated no statistically significant differences in composition of these nine elements among anatomical regions of liver. Dietary copper deficiency led to equivalently reduced copper concentration in all portions of rat liver and did not cause any other significant alterations in liver composition of these nine elements within the 4 wk of these studies. These results confirm the validity of the common assumption that analysis of a portion of rat liver can be representative of the elemental composition of the whole organ. This conclusion will allow more analyses to be performed on fewer animals, thereby reducing animal use and reagent costs without sacrificing analytical accuracy.

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

  1. V. J. Desmet, Introduction: Organizational Principles, inThe Liver: Biology and Patho- biology, 3rd ed., I. M. Arias, J. L. Boyer, N. Fausto, W. B. Jakoby, D. A. Schachter and D. A. Shafritz, eds., Raven, New York, pp. 3–14 (1994).

    Google Scholar 

  2. C. E. Mills, Metabolic interactions of copper with other trace elements, inBiological Roles of Copper, Ciba Foundation Symposium 79 (new series), Excerpta Medica, Ams- terdam, pp. 49–69 (1980).

    Google Scholar 

  3. C. A. Owen Jr.,Biological Aspects of Copper. Occurrence, Assay and Interrelationships, Copper in Biology and Medicine Series, Noyes Publications, Park Ridge, NJ (1982).

    Google Scholar 

  4. R. Hebel and M. W. Stromberg,Anatomy and Embryology of the Laboratory Rat, BioMed Verlag, Wörthsee, Germany, p. 53 (1986).

    Google Scholar 

  5. P. Popesko, V. Rajtova, and J. Horak,A Colour Atlas of Anatomy of Small Laboratory Animals. Volume Two: Rat, Mouse, Hamster, Wolfe Publishing, London, p. 274 (1992).

    Google Scholar 

  6. B. G. Shah, A. Giroux, B. Belonje, and J. D. Jones, Optimal level of zinc supplemen- tation for young rats fed rapeseed protein concentrate,J. Agric. Food Chem. 27(2), 387–389 (1979).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. J. Murphy and J. P. Riley, A modified single solution method for the determination of phosphate in natural waters,Anal. Chim. Acta 27, 31–36 (1962).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Health Protection Branch Laboratories, Sample preparation by dry ashing for the determination of various elements by flame atomic absorption spectroscopy, inLab- oratory Procedure LPFC-137, Bureau of Nutritional Sciences, Health and Welfare Canada, Ottawa, Canada (1985).

    Google Scholar 

  9. M. R. L’Abbé and P. W. F. Fischer, Automated assay of Superoxide dismutase in blood,Methods Enzymol. 186, 232–237 (1990).

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. I. Bremner, Manifestations of copper excess,Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 67(Supp.), 1069S-1073S (1998).

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. S. Haywood, M. Loughran, and R. M. Batt, Copper toxicosis and tolerance in the rat. III. Intracellular localization of copper in the liver and kidney,Expr. Mol. Pathol. 43, 209–219 (1985).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. P. Olsen, Histochemical detection of copper in the liver from sheep chronically poi- soned by copper,Acta Vet. Scand. 10, 288–291 (1969).

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. J. S. Howell, Histochemical demonstration of copper in copper-fed rats and in hepa- tolenticular degeneration,J. Pathol. Bad. 77, 473–484 (1959).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. K. G. Hogan, D. F. L. Money, and R. S. Walker, The distribution of copper in the liver of pigs and sheep and its effect on the value of chemical analyses made on biopsy samples,New Zealand J. Agric. Res. 14, 132–141 (1971).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. J. B. Bingley and J. H. Dufty, Distribution of copper in the tissues of the bovine neonate and dam,Res. Vet. Sci. 13, 8–14 (1972).

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. G. Faa, C. Liguori, A. Columbano, and G. Diaz, Uneven copper distribution in the human newborn liver,Hepatology 7(5), 838–842 (1987).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. G. Diaz, G. Faa, A. M. G. Farci, A. Balestrieri, C. Liguori, and V. Costa, Copper dis- tribution within and between newborn livers,J. Trace Element Eledrol. Health Dis. 4, 61–64 (1990).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. P. J. Osborn, G. C. Bond, and K. R. Millar, The distribution of copper, vitaminB 12 and zinc in the livers of sheep,New Zealand Vet. J. 31, 144–145 (1983).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. S. Haywood, The non-random distribution of copper within the liver of rats,Br. J. Nutr. 45, 295–300 (1981).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. C. O. Nielsen and R. Dietz, Distributional pattern of zinc, cadmium, mercury, and selenium in livers of hooded seal (Cystophora cristata),Biol. Trace Element Res. 24, 61–71 (1990).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. P. Coni, A. Ravarino, A. M. Farci, F. Callea, P. van Eyken, R. Sciot, R. Ambu, A. Mar- ras, V. Costa, G. Faa, and V. J. Desmet, Zinc content and distribution in the newborn liver,J. Pediatr. Gastroenterol. Nutr. 23(2), 125–129 (1996).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. G. Faa, R. Sciot, A. M. Farci, F. Callea, R. Ambu, T. Congiu, P. van Eyken, G. Cappai, A. Marras, V. Costa, and V. J. Desmet, Iron concentration and distribution in the new- born liver,Liver 14(4), 193–199 (1994).

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. W. E. Braselton, K. J. Stuart, T. P. Mullaney, and T. H. Herdt, Biopsy mineral analysis by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy with ultrasonic nebu- lization,J. Vet. Diagn. Invest. 9, 395–400 (1997).

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. R. Ambu, G. Crisponi, R. Sciot, P. van Eyken, G. Parodo, S. Iannelli, F. Maronglu, R. Silvagni, V. Nurchi, V. Costa, G. Faa, and V. J. Desmet, Uneven hepatic iron and phosphorus distribution in beta-thalassemia,J. Hepatol. 23 (5), 544–549 (1995).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. G. Faa, V. Nurchi, L. Demelia, R. Ambu, G. Parodo, T. Congiu, R. Sciot, P. van Eyken, R. Silvagni, and G. Crisponi, Uneven hepatic copper distribution in Wilson’s disease,J. Hepatol. 22 (3), 303–308 (1995).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. P. Raiti and N. Haramati, Magnetic resonance imaging and computerized tomogra- phy of a gravid leopard tortoise (Geochelone pardalis pardalis) with metabolic bone dis- ease,J. Zoo Widi. Med. 28 (2), 189–197 (1997).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. K. Tanaka, T. Komokata, A. Ikoma, A. Yamaoka, Y. Fukumoto, and A. Taira, Portal vein obstruction accompanied by intrahepatic stones,Angiology 47(12), 1151–1156 (1996).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. K. Kurita, G. Tanabe, T. Aikou, and H. Shimazu, Ischemic liver cell damage and cal- cium accumulation in rats,J. Hepatol. 18(2), 196–204 (1993).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Nutrition Research Division, Health Protection Branch,Health Canada, 2203C Sir F.G. Banting Research Centre, K1A OL2, Ontario, Ottawa, Canada

    Kevin A. Cockell, Peter W. F. Fischer & Bartholomeus Belonje

Authors
  1. Kevin A. Cockell
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Peter W. F. Fischer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Bartholomeus Belonje
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

Publication No. 517 of the Bureau of Nutritional Sciences.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Cockell, K.A., Fischer, P.W.F. & Belonje, B. Elemental composition of anatomically distinct regions of rat liver. Biol Trace Elem Res 70, 251–263 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02783834

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02783834

Index Entries

Search

Navigation