Removal From Skin of Plasma Protein Labeled With Radioactive Iodine

Abstract

Solns. of radioactive NaI131 and of plasma protein labeled with I131 were injected into the skin of anesthetized dogs. The clearance rates from the deposit and the radioactivity in serial blood and lymph specimens were detd. both in normal legs and in legs in which lymphatic or vascular obstruction had been created. The clearance rate of radioactive plasma protein from a depot was found to be much slower than the clearance rate of NaI131. Both tracer materials were detectable in blood and lymph samples and it is suggested that removal from the tissue spaces via the capillary bed is the major mechanism for both the crystalloid and protein molecule.