A scanning proton microprobe (SPM) with high resolution and high sensitivity was applied to analyze trace elements in chicken embryo forebrain neuron cell and skeletal muscle myotube cell. The absorption of the two different cells to zinc ions

correlation of elements and trace elemental distributions in the cells were studied. The results indicate that the absorptive capacity of the chicken embryo forebrain neuron cell to zinc ions is larger than that of the chicken embryo skeletal muscle myotube cell

and the concentrations of intracellular trace elements such as Cr

Fe

Ni are explicitly higher. The correlations of elements such as S and Zn or Fe and Zn are positive

but the correlations of P and Ni or Cr and Fe are negative. From the maps of cellular elemental distribution the contents of the different elements are different in the intracellular parts

for example

the contents of the elements phosphorus

sulfur

potassium in the cell membranes are higher than that in the cells.