The zinc distribution in prostate tissues using X-ray microfluorescence with synchrotron radiation

Many elements play an essential role in a number of biological processes as activators or inhibitors of cellular and enzymatic activity. The topographic and quantitative elemental analysis of pathologically changed tissues may shed some new light on processes leading to the degeneration of cells in case of selected diseases. Zinc concentration in a prostate gland is much higher than that in other human tissues. The high concentration of zinc in the prostate suggests that zinc may play a role in prostate health. The aim of this work was to study the elemental distribution for Zinc in prostate tissues from patterns of relative fluorescence intensities. The measurements were performed in standard geometry of 45 deg incidence, exciting with a white beam and using a conventional system collimation orthogonal slits) in the XRF beam line at the Synchrotron Light National Laboratory (Campinas, Brazil). The prostate glands were cut into pieces (slice) with thickness of 0.5 mm. The results showed the zinc distribution was not uniform for different zones of the prostate analyzed. (author)