Uptake of aluminium ion by the liver.

The specific uptake by the rat liver of 28Al was shown. There was specific uptake of 28Al by liver cell nuclei and DNA. This uptake was blocked by prior treatment with stable aluminium. It is concluded that aluminium enters the liver cell by some specific mechanism and that the reaction of aluminium with DNA inside the hepatocyte nucleus could be a mechanism responsible for the development of aluminium-induced experimental porphyria in the rat.