Calibration for quantitative X-ray microanalysis of skeletal muscle cells in culture.

Skeletal muscle in culture is used to demonstrate that the intracellular concentration of elements in tissue culture cells, especially of diffusible ions such as sodium, chlorine, potassium, and calcium can be measured by X-ray microanalysis in the scanning electron microscope. Quantitative analysis is possible by comparison with X-ray spectra of cells incubated in electrolyte solutions of known concentration. The minimum detectable concentration is approximately 2 mM.