S.J. King, J. Templar, R.V. Miller, J.P. Day, University of Manchester, UK

C.B. Dobson, R.F. Itzhaki, UMIST Manchester, UK

L.K. Fifield, G.L. Allen,

Nuclear Instruments and Methods 92 (1994) 469-472

The aluminium distribution between Ihe major cell compartments of human neuroblastoma cells grown in culture has been determined using 26Al and accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS). Cells (IMR-32) were grown for eight days in a culture medium containing AI-EDTA (0.2mM) spiked with 26Al, harvested, and fractionated by standard biochemical techniques. 26Al in fractions after ashtrig to Al203 was determined by AMS using the 14UD accelerator at ANU Canberra. The cytoplasmic and nuclear cell compartments appeared to have reached diffusive equilibrium with the culture medium. Whilst 26Al was retained by the nuclear proteins and nuclear sap, 26Al did not appear to bind to the nucleic acids (DNA/RNA).