Association of plutonium with isolated liver parenchymal cells following injection of monomeric plutonium into mice

The early kinetics of the association of plutonium with liver parenchymal cells was measured after intravenous injection of monomeric plutonium [239Pu(IV)citrate] into CF 1 female mice. The amount of plutonium associated with isolated liver parenchymal cells and the total liver plutonium concentration were determined at times ranging from 1 hr to 6 days after plutonium administration. The number of parenchymal cells per gram mouse liver as well as the ratios of parenchymal cell-associated plutonium (DPM/isolated cell) to total plutonium concentration (DPM/g liver) were calculated in order to determine the percentage of the liver burden associated with parenchymal cells. Up to 6 days, the concentration of monomeric plutonium associated with isolated mouse liver parenchymal cells increased more slowly than the total liver plutonium concentration. The latter reached a maximum by 5 hr and decreased only slightly by 6 days. In contrast, the fraction of the liver burden associated with parenchymal cells increased from 29 percent at 5 hr to 70 percent at 6 days after plutonium administration