Elemental levels in mast cell granules differ in sections from normal and diabetic rats: an X-ray microanalysis study

Journal Article · Tue Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 1988 · Scan. Microsc.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6937451

Kendall, M D

Mast cells around the thymus of rats stain red with alcian blue and safranin indicating that the mast cells are probably of the peritoneal (connective tissue) type. After the onset of streptozotocin induced diabetes some cells contain both red and blue granules and blue staining cells may appear. X-ray microanalysis of frozen freeze-dried sections from diabetic male CSE Wistar rats showed electron dense granules to have similar amounts of S to normal rat mast cell granules but reduced levels of Na, Mg, P, Cl and K. Two cells also had electron lucent granules with very high levels of Na, Cl, K and Ca and reduced concentrations of S. The differences in elemental composition suggest that the mast cells from diabetic rats are not immature, but are related to the condition of induced diabetes, and that granules of very different composition can occur within a single cell. X-ray microanalysis has given an insight into mast cell granule elemental content which was not possible by conventional biochemical methods.

• Research Organization: United Medical and Dental Schools, London (England)
• OSTI ID: 6937451
• Journal Information: Scan. Microsc.; (United States), Vol. 2:1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
DIABETES MELLITUS
PATHOGENESIS
MAST CELLS
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
THYMUS
ELECTRON MICROPROBE ANALYSIS
RATS
SAMPLE PREPARATION
ANIMAL CELLS
ANIMALS
BODY
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
CONNECTIVE TISSUE CELLS
DISEASES
ENDOCRINE DISEASES
LYMPHATIC SYSTEM
MAMMALS
METABOLIC DISEASES
MICROANALYSIS
ORGANS
RODENTS
SOMATIC CELLS
VERTEBRATES
550901* - Pathology- Tracer Techniques