Hormonal effects on metabolism and distribution of plasma albumin in the dog

Abstract

The effects of growth hormone, cortisone, and thyroxine on the metabolism and distribution of plasma albumin were studied, using albumin-I¹³¹ as a tracer. Growth hormone did not significantly change the synthetic and catabolic rates of albumin in the steady state reached 7 days after the start of the hormone injection, but the increased body weight and total exchangeable albumin in the first 7 days indicate either increased synthetic or decreased catabolic rate of albumin during that period. Cortisone immediately increased the catabolic rate of plasma albumin to a level 28% above the control value, and this level was maintained during the entire experimental period, but the synthetic rate slowly rose to equal the raised catabolic rate by about the 7th day. Thyroxine showed effects similar to those observed with cortisone. It was also shown that all the hormones stimulated the rate of transcapillary transport of albumin and significantly altered the passage time distribution of albumin flux through the interstitial fluids.