A VIEW ON ELEMENTAL DISTRIBUTION ALTERATIONS OF CORONARY-ARTERY WALLSIN ATHEROGENESIS

In this study, the Nuclear Microprobe technique was employed to invest igate the elemental concentration alterations of minor and trace eleme nts at the different cellular layers and structures of freeze-dried cr yosections of human coronary arteries. Nuclear microprobe analyses ena ble to determine 7 elements, i.e., P, S, Cl, K, Ca, Fe and Zn in the a rtery walls. Furthermore, it was possible to identify early modificati ons of the artery due to the atherosclerosis progression that cannot b e detected with specific staining or conventional histological methods . These modifications are shown to be related to abnormal Fe and Zn de positions in the surroundings of the elastic laminae. Later on, the ca lcifications of these regions occur, contributing to the elastic lamin ae damage and leading to the atheroma growing and maturation.