Erythropoietic Activity of Blood and Tissues of Anemic Rabbits

Abstract

Chronic administration to intact rats of boiled filtrates of plasma, peripheral blood cells and liver obtained from repeatedly bled rabbits resulted in slight but significant increases in red cell counts, hemoglobin and hemato-crit values. Reticulocytosis was apparent in the rats receiving the plasma and blood cell extracts. Principal effects upon bone marrow of the test rats included increases in percentages of nucleated erythrocytes and immature neutrophilic granulocytes. Similarly prepared filtrates of plasma and blood cells from control rabbits were without effect upon the various blood cell values studied. Homogenates prepared from bone marrow of the bled rabbits produced no significant changes in the erythrocyte picture of intact rats. Apart from an eosinophilia induced by the boiled filtrates of plasma, blood cells and liver of the bled rabbits, no other effects upon peripheral leukocytic elements were observed with the various extracts employed.