OSMOTIC PRESSURE, BOUND WATER AND EDEMA IN PERFUSED HEARTS

Abstract

Rabbit and dog hearts were perfused with Ringer-Locke''s solutions, some made hypertonic with extra NaCl and with sucrose, and some containing gum acacia, starch, or egg white. All hearts gained wt., and the effects of pH were similar to those previously obtained with standard isotonic Ringer-Locke''s solution. It is concluded that the isolated hearts were more permeable than normal hearts in intact animals, since their water uptake was not influenced by the osmotic properties of the perfusing fluid.