Studies of the Kinetics of Potassium Exchange between Cells and Plasma of Canine Blood In Vitro Using K42,
Abstract
Freshly drawn heparinized canine whole blood was equilibrated in vitro (paraffin lined vessels) at 38.1 deg C with a normal pulmonary atmosphere saturated with water vapor. It was then tagged by mixing with a small amount of plasma containing dextrose and radioactive KCl. The potassium content of the resulting plasma was thus raised by not more than 3% of the normal and the blood sugar to about 400 mg%. By this procedure cells were maintained in a healthy state for periods up to 10 hours as shown by minimal hemolysis, nearly constant hematocrit and minimal potassium leakage. In whole blood the activity of the plasma decreased initially at a rapid rate which was correlated with the appearance of activity in the cells (red cells, white cells, and platelets). The initial decrease followed an exponential curve to an elevated base line, half of this change being completed in about 50 minutes. However, if the white cells and platelets were previously removed by repeated differential centrifugation the behavior was different. The plasma activity declined very slowly, at the rate of about 1% per hour. The initial rapid decrease in plasma activity for whole blood was attributed to a rapid exchange of potassium in the fraction containing the white cells and platelets. It is evident that studies of potassium exchange of erythrocytes must give equivocal results unless the white cells and platelets are removed in advance or otherwise taken into account.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 12, 1948
- Accession Number
- ADA319889
Entities
People
- C. W. Sheppard
- W. R. Martin
Organizations
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory