COMPARATIVE STUDIES ON THE HALF-LIFE OF I131-LABELED ALBUMINS AND NONRADIOACTIVE HUMAN SERUM ALBUMIN IN A CASE OF ANALBUMINEMIA

Abstract

A unique case of hereditary complete deficiency of human serum albumin (A) without serious pathological changes is described. No trace of A is detectable in electrophoresis, ultracentrifuge or immunological experiments within the limits of specificity of these methods. Both the initial disappearance rate and half-life of I131-A are identical with values gained by use of nonlabeled A, when jet-iodinated A is used; hence, the use of the I131 label is justified for metabolic studies of A in general. The half-life of A in this case is much longer than in normals 40 to 110 days. It is suggested that there exist 3 different ways by which A can be metabolized by the liver.