Concentration of metallothionein in human tissues.

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Abstract
A concentration of metallothionein in the human tissues was determined and the following results were obtained. 1. The concentration of metallothionein in the liver in eight of nine cases was higher than 100 .mu.g/g. Metallothionein in the liver was Zn, Cu, Cd-thionein. A strong, positive relationship was found between zinc and metallothionein concentrations (r=0.987, P < 0.01). The regression equation was MT (.mu.g/g)=-168+14.5 .times. Zn (.mu.g/g). 2. Mean .+-. S.D. of the concentration of metallothionein in the kidney was 933 .+-. 177 .mu.g/g. Metallothionein in the kidney was abundant in cadmium. The most part of cadmium in the kidney was bound to metallothionein. 3. Although the concentration of metallothionein was high in one case of pancreas (168 .mu.g/g), the concentration of metallothionein in the lung, heart or spleen was less than 20 .mu.g/g. These results indicate that the concentration of metallothionein in the human liver and kidney was remarkably higher than that in the mouse or rat tissues.