HISTOCHEMICAL DEMONSTRATION OF MERCURY IN HUMAN TISSUE CELLS OF MINAMATA DISEASE BY USE OF AUTORADIOGRAPHIC PROCEDURE

Histochemical technique using autoradiographic procedure was presented which can be used to demonstrate non-labeled mercury in paraffin-embedded tissues of the central nervous system and other organs. Compared to other histochemical methods, this technique allows the use of formalin-embedded, stored, serial paraffin sections and appears more sensitive for the demonstration of intracellular mercury in Minamata disease (methylmercury poisoning). The technique forms reaction products of high quality which can easily be seen in cell bodies and does not disturb the structure of tissue cells during preparation.