DIFFERENTIAL RESPONSES OF COPPER(I) AND COPPER(II) ON LIVER COPPER ACCUMULATION IN THE LONG-EVANS CINNAMON (LEC) RATS STUDIED BY PIXE DETERMINATION

Effects of supplementation by copper(I) and copper (II) in Long-Evans Cinnamon(LEC) rats and life survival of rats are given. Long-Evans Cinnamon(LEC) strain rats were used at age of 8 weeks. The rats were randomly assigned to either copper(I) chloride or copper (II) chloride group. We have performed x-ray emissivite determination of copper in liver of LEC rats using PIXE and detected increase in copper in liver at early stage which could be supplemented by copper(I) and copper (II). During the supplementation period, clinical deterioration continued accompanied by daily body sway. The rats lost an undetermined amount of body weight and died approximately fourteen days later.