[FULL]: "Here, we investigate the chemical composition of aged pigments of human donors (1) to distinguish melanosomes from lipofuscin granules, (2) to analyze whether melanolipofuscin is composed of a melanosome core and a lipofuscin shell. Since we found significant differences between the two donors, we will investigate theses differences in a higher set of samples according to age, disease, race and environment in future studies. The present study will build the basis for these investigations." [ABSTRACT]: Energy-filtered analytical transmission electron microscopy was used to image the ultrastructure and determine quantitatively the chemical composition of pigment granules of the choroid and retinal pigment epithelium of two healthy human donors, aged 68 and 85 years..... Oval melanosomes, melanolipofuscin and lipofuscin granules were observed, having sizes of about 1.5 μm×0.5 μm, and were analyzed using energy-dispersive X-ray microanalysis and electron energy loss spectroscopy. Up to now, these pigments could only be identified by scattering contrast in bright field images, with melanosomes having dark contrast and lipofuscin being much brighter.....For the first time, quantitative analytical electron microscopy yielded the chemical composition of the different pigments without prior isolation from the tissue. This is important to better understand physical and chemical properties of the pigments and their metabolism and turnover. The composition of melanosomes and lipofuscin can clearly be distinguished by the applied methods.....Trace elements like zinc are of great importance for metabolism and anti-oxidative mechanisms and also play a role in the progression of age related macular degeneration. They can now be investigated by quantitative analytical electron microscopy.