Effects of Urinary Hemopoietine on Fe 59 Distribution in Rats Studied While Plasma Fe 59 is High

Abstract

Summary

Fe⁵⁹ distribution in plasma, red cells, femurs and liver is measured at a time (1 1/2 hours in nonfasted, 3 hours in fasted rats) when plasma radioactivity is high. Plasma iron concentration is also measured, and used with the plasma Fe⁵⁹ value to obtain an estimate of plasma iron turnover. This technic is used for assay of urinary hemopoietine from phenylhydrazine treated rabbits and patients with aplastic anemia. Hemopoietine preparations significantly decrease plasma Fe⁵⁹ and increase femoral and red cell Fe⁵⁹. Fe⁵⁹ in red cells at 24 hours is a linear function of that present at 3 hours. Increase in Fe⁵⁹ in red cells is much larger proportionately than increase in plasma iron turnover, and thus is not a good reflection of the state of erythropoiesis. A dose effect study shows that the reciprocal of the effect, as measured by fraction of plasma iron turned over per hour, is a linear function of the reciprocal of dose of urinary hemopoietine injected.