Presence of Plasma Erythropoietin in Hypoxic Rats with or without Kidney(s) and/or Spleen

Abstract

Summary

(1) Normal rats placed in a low oxygen atmosphere for time periods from 4 to 120 hours reveal definite elevation of plasma erythropoietin until 24 hours and after 48 hours erythropoietin drops back to normal levels as judged by Fe⁵⁹ uptake assay using hypophysectomized rats. (2) On the basis of this time-concentration relationship of plasma erythropoietin in hypoxic hypoxic rats, no significant alteration of erythropoietin titers is evident in hypoxic rats with or without kidneys and/or spleen. (3) Hence, neither the kidney nor spleen is the production site of erythropoietin under hypoxic hypoxia.