HISTOLOGICAL QUANTITATION OF ALUMINUM IN ILIAC BONE FROM PATIENTS WITH RENAL-FAILURE

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  • 1 January 1982
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 99  (2) , 206-216
Abstract
Al in undemineralized, methyl methacrylate-embedded iliac bone from 16 hemodialyzed renal patients and 6 normal controls was stained by a modification of the Al method and quantitated histomorphotometrically, and the results were compared with Al values measured by atomic absorption spectrophometry. There was a high degree of correlation between the 2 techniques (r = 0.955, P < 0.001). The amount of stained Al also showed a statistically significant relationship with the amount of bone that was not mineralized (r = 0.840, P < 0.001), with the TM [mineralization lagtime] (r = 0.841, P < 0.001) and with osteoid width (r = 0.771, P < 0.001). The Al was found as bright red bands mainly in the junction of mineralized bone and osteoid but was also observed in cement lines of mature bone, on neutral surfaces and surrounding the osteocytes. Analysis of serial sections for Al and tetracycline showed that a majority of the sites with Al did not take up tetracycline, implying defective mineralization. Occasionally tetracycline uptake was observed in such places, suggesting that the Al block might be overcome eventually. The presence of Al in cement lines of mature bone supported this hypothesis. The histochemical staining of Al provided a quick easy method for identifying, localizing and quantifying Al within the bone and may prove to be a useful tool in the study of the mechanisms of metabolic bone disease.