Radiostrontium distribution measured in vitro between bound and free forms in the soft tissues of rat

The distribution of 89Sr (carrier-free) in the bound (non-diffusible) and free (diffusible) forms was studied in vitro in the soft tissues of the albino rat by the ultrafiltration method. The influence of factors such as time and temperature of incubation with 89Sr, concentration and medium of the homogenate, pH and age of the animal on the binding of 89Sr was investigated. The binding increased with rise in pH, being maximum in the pH range 7.0--9.0. The distribution pattern varied with the tissues, the bound form (at pH 7.4) being as high as 84 per cent in the small intestine and as low as 20 per cent in the skin, whereas it was about 40--45 per cent in kidney, liver, lung, skeletal muscle and blood serum. The bound form in most of the tissues of the weanling rats was in general lower than that in 6-month or 1-year-old rats. In the serum, 89Sr was mostly bound to globulins. The bound form of 89Sr was also determined by the method of equilibrium dialysis for comparison.