Subcellular distribution of Al, Cu, Mg, Mn and other elements in the humanliver

The elemental concentrations and chemical species of Al, Br, Cl, Cu, K, Mg, Mn, Na and I in human liver and its subcellular fractions were studied by several biochemical techniques combined with neutron activation analysis. T he highest concentrations of Al, Mg, and I were found in the nuclei, wherea s those of Br, Cu, Cl, K;, Mn and Na in the cytosol. About 20% of Br, half of Al and most of Cu (78.8%), Mg (65.9%) and Mn (80.6%) remained in the cel lulose bags after dialysis of liver homogenate, which were suggested to be bound to macromolecules. K (100%) and more than 95% of CI and Na were found to be in the dialyzates. Similar results were found in the fractions of nu clei, mitochondria, lysosome and microsome, respectively, after the same tr eatment. Further study was carried out to elucidate the elemental distribut ion in the cytosol by ethanol precipitation and by ammonium sulfate fractio nation. The results suggested that several kinds of Cu-, Mn- and Mg-bound p roteins existed in the cytosol of human liver cells.