Mechanism of Pathological Changes of Cells Induced by Organic Mercury Compound in Minamata Disease

The brain and liver of patients who died of organic mercury poisoning (Minamata disease) were examined by electron microscopy. To observe organic mercury granules, osmium tetroxide, uranyl acetate and lead acetate were not used for fixation and staining. In the granule cells of the cerebellum, the Golgi apparatus and endoplasmic reticulum degenerated or disappeared but mitochondria were well preserved. The organic mercury granules were highly electron dense and were found at the site of the degenerated membrane which may be derived from the Golgi system, and at the site of lysosomes of the liver cells.