High accumulation of elements in the human femoral artery

The relative contents (RCs) of elements in the femoral arteries as well as the thoracic aorta, coronary, basilar, and radial arteries from 26 subjects within the age range between 55 and 92 yr old, were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry. The RCs of calcium and phosphorus in the femoral arteries started to increase before the age of 60 yr. The RCs of magnesium increased after the age of 70 yr. However, the RCs of sulfur did not change significantly within the age range between 55 and 92 yr. With regard to localization of the mineral accumulations in the femoral arterial wall, it was found that the accumulations of calcium and phosphorus occurred only in the tunica media, only in the tunica intima, or in both the tunica media and the tunica intima. The manner of accumulation of calcium and phosphorus in the femoral arterial wall was different from that in the aortic wall. The average RCs of calcium in the 26 specimens were the highest in the femoral artery, followed in descending order by the thoracic aorta, coronary, basilar, and radial arteries. The average RCs of phosphorus were highest in the thoracic aorta, followed by the coronary, femoral, basilar, and radial arteries. It is noted that the accumulation of mineral elements never occurred uniformly in all the arteries.     

Age-dependent aluminum accumulation in the human aorta and cerebral artery

The purpose of this study was to determine the extent of aluminum (Al) accumulation in the human aorta and cerebral arteries. The Al contents in the aortae and in the cerebral arteries from 23 human subjects was determined by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrophotometry (ICP-AES). The subjects' age range was 45–99-yr-old; 15 of the subjects were males and 8 were females. Al was detected in twelve aortae and in six cerebral arteries, when the entire specimen was analyzed. Two specimens where Al was found in the cerebral arteries contained no Al in the aorta. No relationship to the subject's sex was found. When related to age, two groups were established. Group L (45–75 yr old) and group H (>75 yr old), which exhibited aortal Al concentrations of 33.3 and 72.7%, respectively. When the aortic wall was dissected into the tunica intima, media, and adventitia, Al was found mainly in the tunica media. In the aorta, significant relationships were found between Al and phosphorus (P) levels (r=0.801,p<0.01) and between Al and calcium (Ca) (r=0.661,p<0.05). We have concluded that Al accumulation is age-dependent and that it occurs both in the aorta and in the cerebral artery. In the aorta, accumulation occurs mainly in the tunica media. Both P and Ca appear to enhance aortal Al accumulation.     

Age-related changes of mineral contents in the human aorta and internal thoracic artery

To elucidate accumulations of minerals in the human aorta and internal thoracic artery, their relative contents (RCs) of minerals were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry. Aortas from 47 men and 24 women subjects were examined. The ages of these subjects ranged from newborn to 99 yr. After the age of 40 yr, RCs of calcium and phosphorus began to increase, and thereafter increased stepwise in the 50s and 70s. In the 70s, their accumulations were markedly increased. Internal thoracic arteries from 16 men and 7 women subjects were examined. These subjects ranged in age from 65–93 yr. It was found that all the RCs of calcium were low, <5.0 mg/g dry wt, and there was no age-dependent increase of calcium contents in internal thoracic arteries.     

Age-related changes of element contents in the human meniscus

The relative contents (RCs) of elements in the human menisci from 23 subjects in the age range between 65 and 93 yr were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry. The RCs of sulfur, calcium, and phosphorus in menisci increased progressively until the 80s, being the highest in the 80s, and thereafter decreased. The RCs of magnesium in menisci increased progressively until the 90s. Regarding the medial and lateral menisci, higher RCs of magnesium and iron, and a lower RC of phosphorus were found in lateral menisci in comparison with those in medial menisci. There were sexual differences in the RCs of calcium and phosphorus of medial and lateral menisci. The RCs of calcium and phosphorus were about 50% higher in women’s menisci than in men’s. Histological examinations showed that structureless mucoid masses were observed in the menisci, with very high RCs of calcium and phosphorus being detected.     

Accumulation of calcium and phosphorus accompanied by increase of magnesium and decrease of sulfur in human arteries

To elucidate the accumulation of elements in the arteries with aging, the authors investigated age-related changes of elements in human arteries, such as the thoracic aorta, femoral, basilar, coronary, radial, and common iliac arteries by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry. The subjects consisted of 17 men and 9 women, ranging in age from 55 to 92 yr in the cases of the five arteries, except for the common iliac arteries, in which the subjects consisted of 16 men and 8 women, ranging in age from 65 to 93 yr. It was found that there were significantly direct correlations between calcium and phosphorus contents and between calcium and magnesium contents in all of the six arteries: thoracic aorta, femoral, basilar, coronary, radial, and common iliac arteries. Significantly direct correlations were also found between phosphorus and magnesium contents in the five arteries, except for the basilar artery. In contrast, significantly inverse correlations were found between calcium and sulfur contents and between phosphorus and sulfur contents in the four arteries, except for the coronary and radial arteries. These revealed that the accumulation of calcium and phosphorus in the arteries was accompanied by an increase of magnesium in the arteries and by a decrease of sulfur in the arteries.     

High accumulation of calcium and phosphorus in the coronary artery of the Thai in comparison with the Japanese

To examine whether there were differences between races in regard to age-related changes of mineral contents and the relationships among element contents in the arteries, the authors investigated the coronary arteries of Thai and Japanese. The Thai subjects consisted of 13 men and 3 women, ranging in age from 39 to 84 yr, whereas the Japanese subjects consisted of 17 men and 9 women, ranging in age from 55 to 92 yr. After the ordinary dissections at Chiang Mai University and Nara Medical University were finished, the coronary arteries were resected and the element contents were determined by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry. In the Thai, an accumulation of calcium and phosphorus began to occur in the forties and increased markedly in the fifties, whereas in the Japanese, an accumulation of calcium and phosphorus began to occur in the seventies and increased markedly in the nineties. The result revealed that an accumulation of calcium and phosphorus occurred earlier in the Thai than in the Japanese. Regarding the relationships among element contents, extremely significant correlations were found between calcium and phosphorus contents, between calcium and magnesium contents, and between phosphorus and magnesium contents in both the coronary arteries of the Thai and the Japanese. As far as the coronary arteries with a very high accumulation of calcium and phosphorus, the mass ratios of magnesium to calcium and phosphorus were lower in the coronary arteries of the Thai in comparison with the Japanese.     

Age-related changes of elements in renal arteries of Thai and Japanese and the relationships among elements

To examine whether there were differences between reces in regard to age-related changes of elements and the relationships among elements in the arteries, the authors investigated both the renal arteries of Thai and Japanese. The Thai subjects consisted of 27 men and 11 women, ranging in age from 27 to 88 yr, whereas the Japanese subjects consisted of 19 men and 26 women, ranging in age from 61 to 99 yr. After the ordinary dissections at Chiang Mai University and Nara Medical University were completed, the bilateral renal arteries were resected and the element contents were determined by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry. In the Thai, a slight accumulation of calcium and phosphorus occurred in the fifties, but thereafter headly increased. In contrast, in the Japanese, an accumulation of calcium and phosphorus began to occur in the seventies and increased markedly in the eighties. The result reveraled that a higher accumulation of calcium and phosphorus occurred in the renal arteries of the Japanese in old age compared with those of the Thai. Regarding the relationships among elements, extremely or very significant direct correlations were found among the contents of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and sodium in both the renal arteries of the Thai and Japanese, except for magnesium and sodium contents in the renal arteries of the Thai.     

Elements of calcified sites in human thoracic aorta

To elucidate the manner of element accumulation in the arteries with aging, the authors investigated the element contents in the calcified and surrounding sites of the thoracic aortas by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry. The subjects consisted of three men and five women, ranging in age from 45 to 99 yr. The calcified, calcification-surrounding, and control (which appeared normal) sites were removed from the thoracic aortas and the element contents were determined. It was found that the contents of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc, and aluminum were higher in the calcified site than in the control site, whereas the contents of sulfur, iron, and lead were lower in the calcified site than in the control site. The contents of the elements in the surrounding site were intermediate between those of the calcified and control sites, except for the magnesium and lead contents, which were the lowest. The mass ratios of magnesium to calcium and phosphorus were lower in the calcified site compared with the surrounding and control sites, and as calcium and phosphorus increased in the aorta, the mass ratios lowered gradually in the aorta.     

Relationships among element contents in the intimal, middle, and external tunicae of the thoracic aorta

To examine an accumulation of elements within the arteries with aging, the authors investigated the element contents in the intimal, middle, and external tunicae of the thoracic aorta. The subjects consisted of six men and four women, ranging in age from 57 to 99 yr. The wall of the thoracic aorta was separated into the intimal, middle, and external tunicae by scrubbing the wall of the thoracic aorta with an edge of slide glass and the element contents were determined by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry. It was found that there were significant relationships among calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sulfur, and sodium in both the intimal and middle tunicae of the aorta, but not in the external tunica. These results revealed that no significant differences were found in element compositions of deposits between the intimal and middle tunicae.     

Accumulation of calcium and phosphorus accompanied by inevitable accumulation of magnesium in human arteries

To examine whether there were differences between races in regard to the relationships among element contents in the arteries, the authors investigated the relationships among the average contents of calcium, phosphorus, sulfur, and magnesium in the 18 kinds of the Thai artery. After ordinary dissection by medical students at Chiang Mai University was finished, the thoracic and abdominal aortas, ramifying site of the abdominal aorta into the common iliac arteries, coronary, common carotid, internal thoracic, subclavian, axillary, brachial, radial, superior and inferior mesenteric, renal, common iliac, internal iliac, and external iliac arteries were resected from the subjects who consisted of 12 men and 3 women, ranging in age from 39 to 84 yr. The femoral and posterior tibial arteries were resected from the subjects, consisting of 15 men and 5 women, ranging in age from 25 to 88 yr. The element content of the arteries was analyzed by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry. It was found that there were extremely significant direct correlations among the average contents of calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium in the 18 kinds of the Thai artery, but no significant correlations were found between the average contents of sulfur and elements, such as calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium. These results were in agreement with those of the Japanese arteries. Therefore, it was suggested that there was no significant difference between the arteries of the Thai and the Japanese in the relationships among calcium, phosphorus, sulfur, and magnesium.     

Calcium and phosphorus in aged human cerebral arteries

To elucidate the compositional changes of the cerebral arteries with aging, the authors investigated age-related changes of the calcium and phosphorus contents in the cerebral arteries by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry. The subjects consisted of 11 men and 5 women, ranging in age from 52 to 96 yr. The anterior, middle, and posterior cerebral arteries derived from the same subjects were used in the present study. It was found that there were no significant relationships between age and calcium or phosphorus content in the anterior, middle, and posterior cerebral arteries, indicating that the accumulation of calcium and phosphorus scarcely occurred in the anterior, middle, and posterior cerebral arteries with aging. It was examined whether there were relationships in the calcium and phosphorus contents among the anterior, middle, and posterior cerebral arteries. It was found that there was a significant relationship in both the contents of calcium and phosphorus between the middle and posterior cerebral arteries, but not between the anterior and middle cerebral arteries nor between the anterior and posterior cerebral arteries.     

Element content of human umbilical artery and vein in umbilical cord

To elucidate the element content of newborn blood vessels, umbilical arteries and veins in human umbilical cords, which had the advantage of easy sampling, were examined by ICP-AES. Umbilical cords were removed after birth. Mothers’ ages ranged from 26 to 35 yr. It was found that the content of sulfur was the highest in both umbilical arteries and veins, being higher than the content of calcium and phosphorus. With respect of the content of sulfur, calcium, and magnesium, there were significant differences between the arteries and veins.     

Quantitative changes of calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium in common iliac arteries with aging

To elucidate the mechanism of element accumulations in the arteries with aging, the authors investigated the mass ratios among calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium in the common iliac arteries by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry. The subjects consisted of 16 men and 8 women, ranging in age from 65 to 93 yr. It was found that there were extremely significant correlations between calcium and phosphorus contents, between calcium and magnesium contents, and between phosphorus and magnesium contents in the common iliac arteries. In regard to the mass ratio, although the mass ratio of calcium to phosphorus was almost constant, the mass ratios of magnesium to calcium and phosphorus were different at early and advanced stages of the accumulation of calcium and phosphorus. It was found that both the mass ratios of magnesium to calcium and phosphorus were higher at an early stage of the accumulation of calcium and phosphorus in the arteries than at an advanced stage of the accumulation.     

Age-independent constancy of mineral contents in human vertebra and auditory ossicle

To elucidate age-related changes of mineral contents in human bones, element contents of human vertebrae and auditory ossicles were determined by inductively coupled plasma atomic-emission spectrometry. The cervical, thoracic, and lumbar vertebrae were removed from 12 vertebral columns. The mallei of auditory ossicle were removed from 27 cadavers. It was found that average relative contents (RCs) of calcium and phosphorus in cervical, thoracic, and lumbar vertebrae remained almost constant within ages ranging from 46 to 99 y. In addition, it was found that the RCs of calcium and phosphorus in men’s and women’s mallei remained constant within ages ranging from 40 to 98 yr. These results support the view that there is no significant agedependent change of mineral contents in human bones.     

Difference of mineral contents in human intervertebral disks and its age-related change

To establish a difference of the relative contents (RCs) of elements among the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar intervertebral disks and its age-related change, the intervertebral disks between the axis and the sacrum, which were resected from the nine cadavers who died at 53 to 99 yr old, were analyzed by inductively coupled atomic plasma emission spectrometry. It was found that both the RCs of calcium and phosphorus were high in the cervical disks, especially the highest in the disk between the 6th and 7th cervical vertebrae, and lower in the order of the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar intervertebral disks. In regard to the RCs of sulfur and magnesium, there were no significant differences among the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar intervertebral disks. In addition, it was found that both the RCs of calcium and phosphorus in the cervical intervertebral disks started to increase in the sixth decade of life, became the highest in the eighth decade of life, and then decreased.     

Age-related changes of elements in human thoracic ducts and azygos veins and relationships among elements

To elucidate compositional changes of the thoracic duct with aging, the authors investigated age-related changes of elements in the thoracic ducts in comparison with the azygos veins. The subjects consisted of 22 men and 1 woman, ranging in age from 65 to 95 yr. After ordinary dissection, the thoracic ducts and azygos veins were resected from the subjects and element contents were determined by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry. It was found that calcium appeared to increase in the thoracic duct with aging, but the other elements, such as phosphorus, sulfur, magnesium, iron, zinc, and sodium, did not change significantly with aging. In the azygos vein, both calcium and sulfur increased significantly with aging. Regarding the relationship among elements, extremely significant direct correlations were found among calcium, phosphorus, sulfur, and magnesium in the thoracic ducts, except for phosphorus and magnesium contents with a very significant direct correlation. In the azygos veins, significant direct correlations were found between calcium and sulfur contents and between sulfur and magnesium contents. However, no significant correlations were found among calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium in the azygos veins. These results revealed that with regard to the relationship among calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium, the thoracic duct was similar to the arteries, but not to the azygos vein.     

Different accumulation of elements in the rami of the coronary arteries of Thai

To analyze the accumulation of elements in the rami of the coronary arteries, the authors determined element contents in both the coronary arteries and their rami of the Thai by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry. The subjects consisted of 13 men and 6 women, ranging in age from 34 to 83 yr. It was found that a higher accumulation of calcium and phosphorus occurred in the proximal sites of coronary arteries such as the anterior descending, right coronary, left coronary, and circumflex arteries than the distal sites such as the diagonal, lateral, conus, acute marginal, and posterior descending arteries. The accumulation of calcium and phosphorus in the anterior descending and right coronary arteries of the Thai increased remarkably in the fifties, thereafter decreased, and increased again in the eighties. It should be noted that a very high accumulation of calcium and phosphorus in the coronary arteries occurred in the fifties. In regard to relationships among the average contents of elements in the coronary arteries and their rami, it was found that there were very significant direct correlations between calcium and phosphorus contents, between calcium and magnesium contents, and between phosphorus and magnesium contents. These results suggested that as calcium and phosphorus increased in the coronary arteries and their rami, magnesium increased simultaneously in all of the coronary arteries and their rami.     

Comparison of mineral contents between the arteries in upper and lower limbs of japanese monkeys

To examine whether the calcium accumulation in aged arteries is related to the way of walking, the mineral contents were determined in the arteries of Japanese monkeys of quadrupedal walk by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry. Sixteen Japanese monkeys consisting of 7 males and 9 females ranging in age from 2 to 33 yr were studied. The accumulation of calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium occurred progressively in most, but not all, of the arteries with aging. It was found that independent of the upper and lower limbs, a higher accumulation of calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium occurred in the arteries of the proximal regions with aging, compared with the arteries of the distal regions. In a comparison between the arteries of anatomically corresponding regions of the upper and lower limbs, the accumulation of calcium and magnesium was 20–60% higher in the external iliac and femoral arteries of the lower limb than in the axillary and brachial arteries of the upper limb. Regarding phosphorus, the accumulation was 20–120% higher in the external iliac and femoral arteries than in the axillary and brachial arteries. It was known that in humans, the accumulation of calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium was three to seven times higher in the arteries of the lower limb than in the arteries of the upper limb. It is clear that there is a very significant difference in the accumulation of calcium and magnesium in the arteries of the lower limbs between Japanese monkeys and humans. The present study suggests that the accumulation of calcium and magnesium in the arteries of the lower limb with aging is affected by the way of walking.     

Age-related changes of element contents in human mitral and tricuspid valves

To examine age-related changes of human cardiac valves, mitral and tricuspid valves were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry. The subjects for mitral valves consisted of 12 men and 8 women, ranging in age from 52 to 96 yr. The subjects for tricuspid valves consisted of 11 men and 6 women, ranging in age from 52 to 93 yr. Furthermore, 16 of the samples of the cardiac valves were derived from the same subjects. The contents of calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium in the mitral valves increased progressively with advancing age and reached maximum in the 80s in regard to calcium and phosphorus and maximum in the 90s in regard to magnesium. The maximum average amounts corresponded to about three times the average contents in the 60s. In contrast, the content of sulfur in the mitral valves remained constant between the 50s and 90s. Regarding tricuspid valve, the contents of calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium scarcely increased with advancing age, except for one subject who died of chronic renal failure. Histological observations of the mitral valves revealed that deposits of calcium were present in both the elastic fibers and its degenerative tissues of the mitral valve. The present study indicates that the accumulation of calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium occurs progressively in the mitral valve with aging, but does not occur in the tricuspid valve.     

Age-dependent increases of calcium and phosphorus in human epiglottal cartilage

To elucidate compositional changes of the elastic cartilage with aging, the authors investigated age-related changes of elements in the epiglottal cartilages by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry. After the ordinary dissection by medical students at Chiang Mai University was finished, the epiglottises were resected from the subjects. The epiglottal cartilages were isolated and the element contents were determined. The subjects consisted of 11 men and 14 women, ranging in age from 39 to 92 yr old. It was found that although the extent of accumulation of calcium and phosphorus was slight, calcium and phosphorus increased progressively in the epiglottal cartilages with aging. In contrast, sulfur, magnesium, zinc, iron and sodium did not change significantly in them. Regarding the relationships among elements, it was found that there were significant correlations among calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and sodium in the epiglottal cartilages, with one exception between calcium and sodium contents. In comparison between men and women, no significant differences were found in the predominant elements such as calcium, sulfur, and phosphorus in the epiglottal cartilages.