Effect of Acute Liver Damage Plus Hypoxia on Plasma Erythropoietin Content

Abstract

Normal rats placed in a low O2 atmosphere (10%) for 48 hours did not have increased levels of plasma erythropoietin at the end of this interval. However, when their liver was acutely damaged with CCl4 and they were then placed in a low O2 atmosphere, significant amounts of such a factor appeared in their plasma after 48 hours. This indicates that the liver, normally, has a significant part in the mechanisms that control red cell production.