title: The subcellular distribution of 238Pu and 239Pu in primary cultures of rat hepatocytes.
abstract: The subcellular distribution of 238Pu and 239Pu after incubation of primary cultures of rat hepatocytes with the citrate complex of these metals was studied, and the results were compared with data from in vivo experiments. As in vivo, the lysosomes are the principal organelles in which 238Pu and 239Pu are accumulated. In contrast to in vivo studies, 239Pu is also detectable on the pericellular membranes and in the cell nuclei, where it is predominantly bound to a high-molecular-weight component. The percentage of the total cellular 239Pu which can be recovered in the cell nuclei increased with incubation time from 10% at 1 h to nearly 30% at 5 h. Plutonium-238, an isotope with 270-fold higher specific activity than 239Pu, showed no association with the nuclei. The membrane-bound fraction of 239Pu, as determined using the exogenous chelator diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid decreased from 30% at shorter incubation times to 15% at longer incubation periods. After incubation with 238Pu the membrane fraction and the cytosolic fraction contained higher concentrations of the radionuclide than after incubation with 239Pu.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Schuler
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Taylor
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002951:Citrates / Q000378:metabolism*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008099:Liver / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D013347:Subcellular Fractions / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D002951:Citrates; D009942:Organometallic Compounds