Study of potassium deficiency in cardiac muscle: quantitative X-ray microanalysis and cryotechniques.

An imbalance of potassium in cardiac muscle causes an alteration of heart function. The distribution and concentration of potassium in rat papillary heart muscle was studied using cryofixation and X-ray microanalysis. Freeze-dried cryosections and sections of freeze-dried, embedded tissue were analysed.

[Platinum localization and kidney ultrastructure in the frog after cisplatin administration].

X-ray microanalysis was used to study the localization of platinum, sodium and potassium in the frog nephrons 3 days after cisplatin administration (50 mg per kg of body weight). In the frog, like in mammals, platinum is accumulated in the proximal tubules. As evidenced by electron microscopy, the platinum content is correlated with the degree of deterioration of cell ultrastructure.

[Action of cadmium on the elemental composition and cellular morphology of the hepatopancreas, kidneys and gonads of the mussel Mytilus edulis and scallop Mizuhopecten yessoensis].

Studies have been made on the content and distribution of Cd, K, Mg, Ca, S and P in organs and cells of mussels and scallops before and after immersion in water containing cadmium chloride. In normal molluscs, the lowest content of Cd was found in the gonads; cadmium content of the hepatopancreas and kidney in the scallop is correspondingly 20 and 40 times higher than in the mussel. After immersion in water with cadmium (250 micrograms/l in summer experiments and 500 micrograms/l in spring ones), cadmium content of the hepatopancreas and kidney of the scallop was found to be also higher than that in the mussel, although the difference is less significant, being dependent on the season of year.

[Cadmium distribution in tissues and Na,K-ATPase activity of the skin of the frog Rana temporaria in different routes of cadmium uptake by the body].

Accumulation, distribution of Cd in tissues and its toxic effect depend of the mode of uptake of Cd by the organism. Subcutaneous injections of Cd (0.12-0.

Ion compartmentalization in frog oocytes as demonstrated by X-ray microanalysis.

The distributions of K, Na, Mg and Ca within frog ovarian and oviductal oocytes were studied by electron probe wavelength dispersive X-ray microanalysis. An important heterogeneity could be found both in nuclear and jelly coated oocytes. The highest K, Mg and, to a lesser extent, Na concentrations were found in the pigmented area of the peripheral cytoplasm.