THE METABOLISM OF RABBIT BONE MARROW IN SERUM

Abstract

The use and advantages of "neutralized" serum in metabolism studies of bone marrow are described. The rates of respiration and anaerobic glycolysis are about 70% higher in this medium than in Ringer solns. and are maintained constant for at least 5 hrs. Differences in aerobic glycolysis in the 2 media are within the limits of exptl. error. Avg. figures for normal rabbit bone marrow are: QO2 = -6.3, QGO2= +2.4, QGN2-CO=+12.8. These figures resemble those for lymphocytic tissue. A tumour type of metabolism in Ringer soln., as described by Orr and Stickland, is not found when the measurements are made in serum. The mechanism of the serum effects is under in-vestigation.