The analysis of mineral deposits and proteoglycans content in the cartilage of mouse trachea using PIXE in combination with proton microprobe.
The tracheal cartilage of mature mice have been investigated using PIXE (proton induced X-ray emission) in combination with a proton microprobe on snap frozen cryosectioned material. The localization and quantitative measurements of P, S, Cl, K, Ca, Fe, and Zn concentrations as well as direct and indirect assessment of glycosaminoglycans by measurement of S content and measurement of bound colloidal iron at pH = 1.8 has been performed. Adjacent sections were stained with the Hale method in Müller modifications and the v. Koss method for sulphated mucins and inorganic deposits respectively. It has been found that hyaline cartilage in trachea contains mineral deposits and that P + Ca amounts up to 22% of cartilage dry mass. The Ca/P ratio approaches 2 what indicates hydroxyapatite type crystals. The cartilage contains substantial amounts of S reflecting the presence of sulphate groups. It was found that the cartilage binds also colloidal iron at low pH. There is a good correlation between places with high amount of bound colloidal iron assessed by PIXE and places showing strong Prussian Blue staining. The Fe/S ratio was, however, much lower in the cartilage than in other tissues what indicates that the colloidal iron method does not give quantitative results. There were no regions showing substantial decrease in Fe/S ratio which we found previously as typical for degenerating and calcifying growth plate cartilage. This may be connected with a relatively low degree of calcification degree of the tracheal cartilage.
Cichocki
T
T
Academy of Medicine, Kraków, Poland.
Gonsior
B
B
Höfert
M
M
Jarczyk
L
L
Raith
B
B
Rokita
E
E
Strzalkowski
A
A
Sych
M
M
D000818:Animals; D002356:Cartilage / Q000166:cytology*; D005612:Freeze Drying; D006652:Histological Techniques; D051379:Mice; D008808:Mice, Inbred CBA; D008903:Minerals / Q000032:analysis*; D011509:Proteoglycans / Q000032:analysis*; D013052:Spectrometry, X-Ray Emission / Q000379:methods; D014132:Trachea / Q000166:cytology*
D008903:Minerals; D011509:Proteoglycans