Inulin and Sucrose Distribution in Tissues of Vitamin E-Deficient and Control Rabbits. ∗

Abstract

Summary

Inulin and sucrose space were determined under in vivo conditions in 4 tissues of vit. E-deficient and vit. E-supplemented rabbits, and inulin space was determined in the same tissues of starved rabbits. In vit. E-deficient, but not in starved animals, a significant increase in inulin and sucrose space of skeletal muscle was found. Whether this increase reflected an actual increase of the extracellular fluid compartment or was caused by increased permeability to the saccharides, could not be established. It was concluded that if there was an actual increase of extracellular space in the dystrophic muscle, this increase was not greater than by a factor of 2. Inulin space in livers of all 3 experimental groups was very variable and in most cases much higher than average sucrose space.