A possible balance of calcium accumulations among bone, cartilage, artery, and vein in single human individuals

To elucidate the relationships between the decrease of mineral contents in human bones and the accumulation of minerals in the other human tissues, the relative contents (RCs) of calcium were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry among human bones, arteries, veins, and cartilages in 27 subjects (17 men and 10 women). These were resected from subjects who died in the age range from 40 to 98 yr old. Calcanei were chosen for analysis of mineral contents in contrast with femoral, popliteal and common carotid arteries, internal jugular veins, and pubic symphysis. It was found that the RCs of calcium in calcanei were agreeable to association with those in both the pubic symphysis and the femoral artery, but they were not agreeable to association with those in the popliteal and common carotid arteries, and the internal jugular veins. This suggests that calcium released from bones is accompanied by accumulations of calcium in the artery and cartilage.     

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.     

A high accumulation of minerals in human internal jugular vein

To elucidate age-related changes of mineral contents in human veins, the relative contents (RCs) of elements in the human internal jugular veins, superior and inferior venae cavae, and femoral veins from 27 subjects ranging from 40 to 98 yr old were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry. The average RCs of calcium in the 27 specimens were the highest in the internal jugular vein, followed in descending order by the superior vena cava, femoral vein, and inferior vena cava. The RCs of calcium and phosphorus in the internal jugular veins started to increase after the age of 50 yr, became the highest in subjects in their 60s and thereafter decreased gradually. It is noted that such accumulations of minerals, similar to the internal jugular vein, were also found in the veins, such as the superior and inferior venae cavae, and femoral vein. Accumulation of minerals in the veins is different from that of arteries, which increase progressively by aging, but do not decrease.     

Age-related change of mineral content in the human thoracic aorta and in the human cerebral artery

The relative contents (RCs) of mineral elements in aortae and cerebral arteries from 23 subjects, with ages ranging between 45 and 99 yr, were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry. The RCs of calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium in the aortae increased markedly after the age of 70. While the RC of sulfur in aortae decreased gradually after that age. It was found that accumulation of calcium and phosphorus occurred primarily in the tunica media of aorta, and secondarily in the tunica intima. Furthermore, the RCs of calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium in cerebral arteries increased markedly after the age of 70, whereas the RC of sulfur in cerebral arteries decreased after age 70. It was found that accumulation of calcium and phosphorus in the cerebral arteries were 30 and 60%, respectively, lower than those in the aortae with ages ranging between 45 and 99 yr.     

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.     

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.     

Accumulation of calcium in the arteries of Japanese monkey

To examine whether the calcium accumulation in the arteries is related to the way of walk or not, the calcium contents were determined in various arteries of Japanese monkeys of quadrupedal walk by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry. Japanese monkeys consisted of five males and four females, ranging in age from 2 to 29 yr. Age-related changes of the calcium content were examined in various monkey arteries. Significant relationships between age and calcium content were found in the arteries, such as the axillary, brachial, radial, subclavian, common carotid, common iliac, and femoral arteries, but not statistically in the thoracic and abdominal aortas, ulnar, external iliac, internal iliac, popliteal, and tibial arteries. The average contents of calcium were compared between the two groups of the monkeys below 14 yr and over 24 yr of age. Below 14 yr, the calcium content was a little higher in the arteries, such as the common, external and internal iliac, and femoral arteries than that of the other ones. Over 24 yr, the calcium content increased remarkably in the arteries, such as the thoracic aorta, common, internal and external iliac, common carotid, and subclavian arteries. The calcium contents of the thoracic aorta, common, internal and external iliac, common carotid, and subclavian arteries increased by more than two times over 24 yr compared with those below 14 yr. In a comparison between the calcium contents of the arteries in the anatomically corresponding regions of the upper and lower limbs, no statistically significant differences were found in the subjects over 24 yr as well as the subjects 2–29 yr of age. The calcium accumulation in the arteries of monkeys with aging was different from those in the arteries of humans, because in the case of human, a very high accumulation of calcium occurred in the arteries of the lower limb with aging in comparison with those in the upper limbs. Therefore, it is likely that different ways of walk or different species are partly affected in the calcium accumulation in the arteries with aging.     

Relative and combined effects of ethanol and protein deficiency on strontium and barium bone content and fecal and urinary excretion

To elucidate accumulation of minerals in human iliac arteries with aging, the content of minerals was analyzed by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry. Bilateral common, internal, and external iliac arteries of 16 men and 8 women, ranging ages from 65 to 93 yr, were examined. It was found that an extremely high accumulation of calcium and phosphorus occurred in the common iliac artery at old age, being higher than that of the internal and external iliac arteries. It should be noted that the accumulation of calcium and phosphorus is the highest in the common iliac artery among the human arteries examined to date. Regarding sexual differences, the content of calcium and phosphorus in the common and internal iliac arteries was higher in women than in men, whereas their content in the external iliac artery was lower in women than in men.     

A possible balance of phosphorus accumulations among bone, cartilage, artery, and vein in single human individuals

To elucidate relationships between the decrease of mineral contents in human bones and the accumulation of minerals in the other human tissues, the contents of phosphorus in human bones, arteries, veins, and cartilages in 27 subjects (17 men and 10 women) were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry. These were resected from subjects who died in the age range 40–98 yr. Calcanei were chosen for analysis of mineral contents in contrast to arteries such as the femoral, popliteal, and common carotid arteries, veins such as superior and inferior venae cavae, internal jugular, and femoral veins, and pubic symphyses. It was found that the content of phosphorus in calcanei was in agreement with that in both the pubic symphysis and the arteries such as femoral, popliteal, and common carotid arteries, but it was not in agreement with that in the veins such as superior and inferior venae cavae, internal jugular, and femoral veins. This suggests that phosphorus released from bones is accompanied by accumulations of phosphorus in the artery and cartilage.     

High accumulation of calcium in human uterine artery with aging

To elucidate compositional changes of the rami of the internal iliac artery with aging, the authors investigated age-related changes of the calcium content in the uterine, internal pudendal, umbilical, and obturator arteries by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry. After an ordinary dissection was finished, the uterine, internal pudendal, umbilical, and obturator arteries were resected from 10 female subjects, and the internal pudendal, umbilical, and obturator arteries were resected from 10 male subjects. The female subjects ranged in age from 52 to 96 yr, and the male subjects ranged in age from 63 to 88 yr. The calcium content in the uterine artery began to increase in the seventies and increased markedly in the nineties. In the internal pudendal artery, the calcium content hardly increased up to the eighties and increased significantly in the nineties. In contrast, the calcium content did not change in both the umbilical and obturator arteries with advancing age. It was found that the average content of calcium was the highest in the uterine artery and decreased in the order internal pudendal, umbilical, and obturator arteries. The average content of calcium in the uterine arteries corresponded to 46-fold the amount of the women's obturartor arteries, in which it was the lowest. In the cases of men, the average content of calcium was higher in the order of the internal pudendal, umbilical, and obturator arteries. Regarding the average content of calcium, the order internal pudendal, umbilical, and obturator arteries of the men was consistent with that of the women.     

Correlations of calcium accumulations in arteries, veins, cartilages, ligaments, and bones in single humans

To show the relationships of calcium accumulation in the thoracic aorta to the other tissues, calcium contents were determined with a microwave-induced plasma-atomic emission spectrometer on arteries, veins, cartilages, ligaments, and bones. These tissues were resected from 18 individuals, consisting of 11 men and 7 women who died in the age range 59–91 yr. As thoracic and abdominal aortas are routinely used for radiographic examination of arterial calcification, they appear to be standard tissues of the calcium accumulation. The calcium accumulations were determined in the femoral artery, the superior and inferior venae cavae, the internal jugular vein, cartilages of the articular disk of the temporomandibular joint and the intervertebral disk, both the ligaments of the anterior cruciate ligament and the ligamentum capitis femoris, and the calcaneus, in contrast with the thoracic aorta. As calcium increased in the thoracic aorta, it increased in the femoral artery, the articular disk of the temporomandibular joint, the intervertebral disk, both ligaments of the anterior cruciate ligament, and the ligamentum capitis femoris, but it did not increase in veins, such as the superior and inferior venae cavae and the internal jugular vein. In contrast, it decreased in the calcaneus.     

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.     

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.     

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.     

Gender Difference in Accumulation of Calcium and Phosphorus in the Left Coronary Arteries of Thais

To examine whether there were gender differences in compositional changes of the coronary artery with aging, the authors investigated the gender difference in age-related changes of elements in the left coronary arteries of Thais by direct chemical analysis. After ordinary dissections by students at Chiang Mai University were finished, the left coronary arteries were resected from Thai subjects. The Thai subjects consisted of 69 men and 34 women. The ages of the male subjects ranged from 25 to 87?years (average age?=?62.6?±?11.4?years) and of the female subjects from 24 to 86?years (average age?=?59.4?±?14.6?years). After incinerating the arteries with nitric acid and perchloric acid, the element content was determined by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry. The Ca and P contents tended to increase in the left coronary arteries of men with age, but the increases were not statistically significant. In the left coronary arteries of women, the Ca and P contents increased significantly and progressively with aging. In addition, the Na content increased significantly in the left coronary arteries of both men and women with aging. The differences in the average contents of Ca and P by age group were observed between the left coronary arteries of men and women. With Student's t test, significant gender differences in the average contents of Ca and P were found in both the 40s and the 70s. The Ca and P contents of the left coronary arteries in the 40s were significantly higher in men than in women. In contrast, the Ca and P contents in the 70s were significantly higher in women than in men. These results indicated that the accumulation of Ca and P in the left coronary arteries of Thais occurred at least 10?years earlier in men than in women, but a higher accumulation of Ca and P in old age occurred in the left coronary arteries of women compared with those of men. The present study revealed that there were significant gender differences in the left coronary arteries with regard to the accumulation of Ca and P with aging. It is reasonable to presume that taking clinical findings into consideration, the gender differences in the left coronary arteries may result from hormonal and/or genetic factors rather than lifestyle factors.     

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.     

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.     

A possible balance of magnesium accumulations among bone, cartilage, artery, and vein in single human individuals

It is known that a large quantity of magnesium contains bones, and the magnesium contents in spongy bones decrease gradually with advancing age. To elucidate the relationships between a decrease of mineral contents in human bones and an accumulation of minerals in the other human tissues, the content of magnesium was analyzed by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry among human bones, arteries, veins, and cartilages in 27 subjects (17 men and 10 women). These were resected from the subjects who died in the age range 40–98 yr. Calcanei were chosen for analysis of magnesium contents in contrast with femoral, popliteal, and common carotid arteries, internal jugular and femoral veins, superior and inferior venae cavae, and pubic symphyses. The magnesium contents in the calcanei decreased gradually with aging, whereas they increased progressively in the arteries, veins, and pubic symphyses with aging. It was found that as the magnesium contents decreased in the calcanei, they increased in the arteries, such as the femoral, popliteal, and common carotid arteries, whereas they decreased inversely in the veins, such as the internal jugular and femoral veins and superior and inferior venae cavae. Furthermore, as the magnesium contents decreased in the calcanei, they hardly changed in the pubic symphyses. These suggest that magnesium released from bones is accompanied by accumulation of magnesium in the arteries.     

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.