Studies in mineral metabolism. VIII. Comparison of phosphorus partition in the blood of calf foetus, sheep foetus, and lambs, with corresponding maternal blood

Abstract

In regard to phosphorus partition, the same general relationship holds between the blood of lambs and of the mother ewes, as between the blood of calves and the mother cows. Total phosphorus is about twice as high in lamb blood as in maternal blood, inorganic phosphorus about twice as high, and organic acid-soluble phosphorus about three times as high. A considerable proportion of an acid-insoluble phosphorus fraction, probably nuclein, may be present in the red corpuscles of lamb blood and may even be present in foetal blood. The organic acid-soluble fraction is confined to the corpuscles, both in young blood and adult blood, but i n one case of a six-month calf foetus a small proportion was noted in plasma.