Metabolism of radiocopper (Cu64) in the rat

Abstract

About 100 µg of copper as cupric acetate-Cu64 was given iv to adult, male rats. Maximal concentrations of Cu64 were reached quickly in the excretory organs—liver, kidney, and gastrointestinal tract—which then slowly released their radioactivity. In most of the other organs a progressive accumulation of Cu64 began after the disappearance of most of the nonceruloplasminic Cu64 from the plasma and after ceruloplasmin-Cu64 emerged in the plasma, suggesting that ceruloplasmin may be the copper donor for the tissues. The disappearance of plasmatic Cu64 tended to parallel that from the liver after the first 48 hr.