Chylomicron Content and Total Lipids of Blood Plasma as Determined on Dogs.

Abstract

The method described by Gage and Fish 1 of studying the visible lipemia of the blood by means of the dark-field microscope is simple and requires only 1 drop of blood and a few minutes to count the chylomicrons. By using a net micrometer in the eyepiece of the microscope and by counting very rapidly the chylomicrons in each small square, a fairly accurate count is made. An accuracy within the limits of experimental error in many physical measurements is obtained.

Since the chylomicrons have been shown to be dependent on the fatty portion of the diet, it was thought that the determination of the chylomicrons by the dark-field microscope might give a measure of the total amount of fat present. It was the purpose of the present investigation to find out if the chylomicrons measure the total amount of fat present or what the relationship may be between the fat in the blood determined by chemical means and the chylomicrons.

In the present study in which dogs were used, blood was taken from the heart, in order to obtain a 15 cc. sample.

The method of feeding used for previous determinations 2 was followed. The dogs were fasted overnight, about 20 hours. A 15 cc. sample of blood was taken from the heart, the chylomicrons counted in a sample of the blood and the remainder used for analysis 3 to find the total lipids in the blood. The animals were then fed 40 gm. of butter and every 2 hrs, thereafter 15 cc. of blood were taken. It is the opinion of the writer that when more than 40 gm. of a fat are fed, it becomes too difficult to count the chylomicrons with any degree of accuracy.