Calcification of Cell Nuclei in Experimental Necrosis in vivo

Abstract

WE have reported previously^1–3 that calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, lipids and polysaccharides can be deposited in the nuclei of dead cells in vitro. In such a nucleus a highly refractile granule is formed which grows in size, and, in suitable conditions, structures many times the size of a cell may grow out from the granule³. This may be pertinent to the study of certain processes in the organism, such as the calcification of necroses, arteriosclerosis and other cases of pathological calcification³ and so it seemed important to ascertain whether the phenomenon also occurs in the nuclei of dead cells in vivo. We therefore examined kidney tissue with ischaemic necroses caused by ligature of blood vessels^4,5. Such necroses were known to calcify rapidly^4–7 but the nature of the calcification was unknown.