Zinc concentrations in human tissues. Liver zinc in carcinoma and severe liver disease

In 58 unselected necropsies, zinc (Zn) in specimens of liver (mean +/- s = 280 +/- 178 micrograms/g d.w./4.28 +/- 2.72 mumol/g d.w.), kidney (170 +/- 57 micrograms/g d.w./2.60 +/- 0.87 mumol/g d.w.), spleen (69 +/- 13 micrograms/g d.w./1.05 +/- 0.20 mumol/g d.w.), and lung (64 +/- 16 micrograms/g d.w./0.98 +/- 0.24 mumol/g d.w.) were analysed by means of flameless atomic absorption spectrometry. In the examined range from 25 to 92 years of age, the Zn concentrations in all tissues measured did not show age or sex-dependency. There was a high correlation between the tissue concentration of Zn and Mg in lung, liver, and spleen, between Zn, Mg, and Pb in liver as well as between Zn and Pb and Zn and Cd in kidney. All hepatic cirrhosis cases had very low Zn conc. in liver tissue, the tumor cases generally increasing Zn conc. in liver tissue with progressive stage of regional invasion and distant metastasis.