Correlation Between Iron Staining of Infant Livers And Amount of Iron Estimated Chemically

Abstract

172 liver samples from infants were analysed chemically for iron concentration, and histochemically for the presence of iron staining. A closer correlation was found between the amount of iron estimated chemically, and the presence of diffuse cytoplasmic staining than with the presence of granular staining. At levels of less than 5 mg/100 gm there was neither granular nor cytoplasmic staining present. Cytoplasmic staining was found in all sections from livers with an iron concentration of more than 30 mg/100 gm. Granular staining was not always seen above a level of 30 mg/100 gm, and some sections from livers with iron concentrations as high as 41 and 58 mg/100 gm, showed only cytoplasmic staining.