Synchrotron radiation X-ray fluorescence(SRXRF) spectroscopy is an advanced quantitative multielemental analytical technique with space resolution of several μm and sensitivities in the μg/g range. It can be used for keeping track of trace elements in biological samples after an electrophoretic separation. In this paper

proteins in cytosol of human hepatocellular carcinoma and the surrounding "normal" tissue were separated with thin layer isoelectric focusing(IEF). The contents of metal ions in protein bands were determined by SRXRF. The results showed that the metal-containing proteins detected in the two samples were very much alike

but their distribution patterns were easily distinguishable. The contents of iron

zine

and copper in bands from the surrounding "normal" tissue were generally higher than that from hepatoma tissue

especially in Fe-eontaining proteins with pls of 6.5

7.7

8.0 and less than 3.5

Cu-containing proteins with pls of 3.2

4.9

5.5

5.9

and 6.5

as well as Zn-containing proteins with pI of 5.5 and 6.5. However

Fe contents in Fe-containing proteins of 4.0

and 7.0 from the hepatoma tissue were slight higher than that from the surrounding "normal" tissue. Further studies are necessary to validate the universality and the biological meaning of the pattern.