Elemental Analysis of Aluminum Accumulations in the Livers, Kidneys and Brains of Mice Observed by HAADF-STEM-EDX

The elemental analysis on aluminum (Al) was carried out by high angle annular dark field (HAADF) scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) and energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis (EDX) on the liver, kidney and brain of the mouse administered orally with excessive aluminum chloride solution for 18 weeks. Al accumulations were detected not only in the high electron dense lysosomes which confirmed by bright field (BF) image mode observation but also in the high electron dense bodies in the liver and the kidney tissues by DF mode observation which were not yet previously confirmed by means of HAADF-STEM-EDX. On the other hand, the portions where very small amount of such element as Al should exist in the brain tissues of mice administered with aluminum chloride solution were searched using Z contrast with dark field (DF) image mode by the same EDX microanalysis. However, the localization of Al accumulation could not be detected by HAADF-STEM-EDX in the brain tissue of mice administered with aluminum chloride solution for 18 weeks.