The subcellular distribution of gold in monkey liver, kidney and spleen, in vivo.

1. The subcellular distribution of gold in the livers, kidney cortex and the spleens of rhesus monkeys was determined at 2, 10 and 20 days after the administration of sodium (195Au)-aurothiomalate. The serum gold levels were also determined over the period of study. 2. With the continued decrease in the serum gold levels from day 1 to day 20, a continued increase in the tissue levels of the organs studied was observed. The corresponding subcellular fractions of the tissues also showed continued increases in the radioactive concentrations of gold. 3. Gold was found to localise in all the organelles of the cells in the liver, kidney cortex and the spleen, though in varying amounts. The largest increases in the concentrations of gold from day 2 to day 20 were found in the lysosomal bodies of liver and kidney. The concentrations in the kidney cortex increased from approximately five times those in the liver or the spleen on day 2 to about eight times those on day 20.