Abstract
Calcium phosphate forms particles under excessive urinary excretion of phosphate in the kidney. While the formation of calcium phosphate particles (CaPs) has been implicated in the damage to renal tubular cells and renal dysfunction, clarifying the ultrastructural information and the elemental composition of the small CaPs in the wide areas of kidney tissue has been technically difficult. This study introduces correlative and sequential light as well as electron microscopic CaP observation in the kidney tissue by combining fluorescent staining for CaPs and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) in scanning electron microscopy (SEM) on resin sections prepared using high-pressure freezing and freeze substitution. CaPs formed in mouse kidneys under long-term feeding of a high-phosphate diet were clearly visualized on resin sections by fluorescence-conjugated alendronate derivatives and toluidine blue metachromasia. These CaPs were verified by correlative observation with EDS. Furthermore, small CaPs formed in the kidney under short-term feeding were detected using fluorescent probes. The elemental composition of the particles, including calcium and magnesium, was identified following EDS analyses. These results suggest that the correlative microscopy approach is helpful for observing in situ distribution and elemental composition of CaPs in the kidney and contributing to studies regarding CaP formation-associated pathophysiology.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.