Wilhelm Z., A. Pechová, P. Scheer, J. Kleinová, L. Roubalíková: Serum and Tissue Concentrations of Magnesium, Calcium, Potassium and Sodium in Rats. Acta Vet Brno 2005, 74: 183-190.The aim of the study was to analyze concentrations of magnesium in the serum and selected tissues of Wistar rats (erythrocyte, myocardium, rectus abdominis muscle, femoral bone, lung, spleen, small intestine, liver, kidney and uterus in females) and to evaluate the relationships between serum and tissue concentrations of magnesium, calcium, potassium and sodium.Adult laboratory rats (Wistar strain, n = 39) were studied. The animals were allocated to three groups as follows: females (F; n = 18; body mass, 269 ± 33 g), males I (M I; n = 10; 413 ± 30 g) and males II (M II; n = 11; 633 ± 78 g). The females and males were of the same age (10 -12 weeks), the males II were older (22 -24 weeks). Blood was drawn by cardiac puncture under ether anesthesia. After sacrificing the animals under ether anesthesia, tissue samples were collected from the tissues to be studied and analysed for the presence of magnesium, calcium, potassium and sodium. Flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry was used to assess the concentration of magnesium in sera and, after sample mineralization, in all the tissues investigated. In conclusion, significant differences in myocardial magnesium concentrations among the groups and non-significant differences in sera and erythrocytes suggest that the actual concentration of intracellular magnesium, i.e. in myocardium and other tissues, cannot be derived from either serum or erythrocyte concentrations. Interestingly, in female rats there was a negative correlation between magnesium and calcium levels in the myocardium, while in both male rat groups (males I and males II) this correlation was positive.