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

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. The highest concentrations of Al, Mg, and I were found in the nuclei, whereas 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 cellulose 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 nuclei, mitochondria, lysosome and microsome, respectively, after the same treatment. Further study was carried out to elucidate the elemental distribution in the cytosol by ethanol precipitation and by ammonium sulfate fractionation. The results suggested that several kinds of Cu-, Mn- and Mg-bound proteins existed in the cytosol of human liver cells.