This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by van Rossum, G. D. V. Articles by Morris, H. P. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by van Rossum, G. D. V. Articles by Morris, H. P.

The Mineral Content and Water Compartments of Liver and of Morris Hepatomata 5123tc and 3924A and the Changes of Composition Occurring during Necrosis in Hepatoma 3924A¹

Department of Pharmacology, Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19140 [G. D. V. v R.]; Istituto di Patologia Generale, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Roma, Italy [T. G.]; and Department of Biochemistry, Howard University School of Medicine, Washington, D. C. 20001 [H. P. M.]

The water content of rat liver and of hepatoma tissue that was free of macroscopically visible necrosis increased in the order, liver < 5123tc < 3924A. Sodium and chloride followed the same order. Determination of the volume of tissue water compartments, based on the assumed extracellular position of chloride, showed that the increasing water content was shared by both intracellular and extracellular compartments, although the latter underwent the greater change.

The potassium and magnesium contents/unit dry weight increased in the order, liver < 5123tc < 3924A, but the apparent concentrations in the intracellular water varied little between the tissues.

The calcium content followed the same order but showed quantitatively greater changes than the other ions, the relative content ratio for liver:5123tc:3924A being 1:3:7. Histological estimates of the microareas of necrosis in the apparently viable regions of hepatoma 3924A suggested that much of the calcium of this tumor was probably present in necrotic cells.

Comparing the apparently viable peripheral areas of hepatoma 3924A with the grossly necrotic areas in the centers of the tumors indicated a 25% exchange of potassium for sodium, a 25% loss of magnesium, a 50% gain of phosphate, and a 500% increase of calcium during necrosis. The grossly necrotic areas contained cells that were still capable of respiring, glycolyzing, and actively transporting sodium and potassium, although the activities were less than in the areas free of macroscopically visible necrosis. However, the ability actively to extrude calcium was apparently completely lost. Despite the parallel increases of calcium and phosphate in the order, liver < "viable" 3924A < necrotic 3924A, the relative ratios of the two ions suggested that the deposition of calcium phosphate alone was not the only process involved.

¹ This work was supported at Howard University by USPHS Grant CA10729 and at Temple University by USPHS General Research Support Grant 5-501-RRO5417 and by an Institutional Grant from the American Cancer Society.

Received 12/ 7/72. Accepted 2/12/73.