Measurement of iron oxide nanoparticulate size and clustering behaviour in iron loaded rodent tissues using novel small angle synchrotron x-ray scattering techniques

Eliza Jane Westcott

    Research output: ThesisDoctoral Thesis

    89 Downloads (Pure)

    Abstract

    [Truncated] Iron overload diseases such as hereditary haemochromatosis and thalassaemia affect a large fraction of the world's population. During iron overload, iron is deposited in tissues of the body in the form of ultrafine particles of hydrated iron(Ill) oxyhydroxide (5Fe2O3.9H2O) associated with the iron storage compounds haemosiderin and ferritin. The physical form of the mineral cores of ferritin and haemosiderin is of particular importance since it is expected to reflect the biological and environmental conditions of deposition. For example, the size distribution determines the surface iron to core iron ratios, which in turn is expected to determine the molar toxicity of cellular iron deposits. A methodology for quantifying the morphology and cluster!ng behaviour of iron oxide nanoparticles in bulk samples of mammalian tissue has been developed and tested in a controlled biological system. The methodology has been applied to elucidate iron oxide particle size and clustering behaviour in the tissues of rats under a number of different iron loading conditions. Liver and spleen specimens from rats experiencing one of three iron loading regimes were available for the study. Control rats were fed a normal rodent diet, dietary iron loaded rats received supplementation with carbonyl iron and transfusional iron loaded rats received transfusions of packed red blood cells. Tissue iron concentrations ranged from I mg.t1 dry weight for control liver to 70 mg.g-1 dry weight for the most highly loaded transfusional iron loaded spleen.
    Original languageEnglish
    QualificationDoctor of Philosophy
    Awarding Institution
    • The University of Western Australia
    DOIs
    Publication statusUnpublished - 2006

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