METAL ANALYSES OF BRAIN TISSUE

Illinois Institute Of Technology, Chicago IL

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Abstract

This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. Metal content distribution mapping on two of the neocortical regions most commonly affected in Alzheimer's Disease, with both plaques and tangles, ( midfrontal dorsolateral) cortex (Brodman area 46/9) and the inferior temporal cortex (Brodman area 20) was performed at BioCAT. Samples were prepared at Rush Alzheimer Disease Center at Rush University Medical Center. These samples were considered BSL2 level. The corresponding safety protocol for this particular experiment was submitted to the Biosafety committee opportunely. A custom made sample holder, designed specifically for human brain tissue can hold up to 8 samples, covered with 8 micron thick kapton film. 10 microns thick brain slices were mounted on the kapton film and covered with another layer of kapton film to keep them in place. The sample holder has two protective acrylic slides that can be removed when the samples are ready for the experiment at the beamline. The protective slides were put back in place when the experiment is finished to handle the sample holder back to its container. Samples were exposed to the micron size x-ray beam and their metal content evaluated. A total of 26 midfrontal cortex samples and 6 cerebellum samples were measured. Fe, Cu and Zn standards from Calmetrics and Se and Hg standard solutions from NIST were used for quantization purposes. Average time per sample 1.5 hours. Scanning time can be reduce to 10 minutes/sample with continuous scans.