Quantitative histochemical determination of Na+ and K+ in microscopic samples using carbon furnace atomic absorption spectrometry.
Carbon furnace atomic absorption spectrometry was used to measure the Na and K content of freeze-dried microscopic tissue samples. This method was sufficiently sensitive to measure pmol amounts of Na and K from tissue weighing 10-60 ng. Within the spatial resolution of the microdissection procedure, ion diffusion that might occur during cryosectioning, freeze-drying, and dissection of the tissue did not seem to be a problem. Data obtained with this methodology were in agreement with previously reported values of the Na and K content of various tissues, thus supporting the usefulness of this quantitative histochemical technique.
Sussman
I P
IP
University of Pennsylvania, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Philadelphia 19104.
MacGregor
L C
LC
Masters
B R
BR
Matschinsky
F M
FM
D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000032:analysis; D008099:Liver / Q000032:analysis; D008832:Microchemistry; D011188:Potassium / Q000032:analysis*; D011817:Rabbits; D051381:Rats; D012160:Retina / Q000032:analysis; D012964:Sodium / Q000032:analysis*; D013054:Spectrophotometry, Atomic / Q000379:methods*
D012964:Sodium; D011188:Potassium