Impact of Cadmium on Intracellular Zinc Levels in HepG2 Cells: Quantitative Evaluations and Molecular Effects

Figure 1

Microscopy images of HepG2 cells loaded with 25 μM of the zinc specific fluorescent probe Zinquin for intracellular visualization and distribution of labile zinc. HepG2 cells grown in control medium without Zinquin were used for autofluorescence visualization (a). Cells grown in control medium show undetectable basal levels of loosely bound zinc (b). HepG2 cells grown in medium containing, respectively, 0.1 (c) and 10 μM (f) Cd for 24 hrs; (d, e, and g): cells exposed to increasing zinc concentrations (10, 50, and 170 μM, resp.). Microscope magnification 400x.

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