Histological demonstration of immunoreactive metallothionein in sections of human and rat tissue

Immunoreactive metallothionein has been demonstrated in formalin fixed sections of rat and human tissue using a DNP hapten sandwich staining procedure and antibody to zinc-induced rat liver metallothionein II.MT was found in rat liver, duodenum, jejunum and ileum and in human liver and ileum both intracellularly in hepatocytes and enterocytes and extracellularly in portal vessels, sinusoids and canaliculi in the liver and in the lamina propria of the intestine.Changes in intensity of staining were related in the rat to the feeding/fasting status of the animal and whether exogenous zinc had been administered. In man least MT was found in the ileum of patients with Crohn's disease and most in patients with non-inflammatory bowel disease.These results confirm that MT is an important physiological metal-binding protein in man and animals and is concerned in zinc transport and binding in rats.