Disappearance of Radioactive Chromium Tagged Erythrocytes from Tissues and Body Cavities of Rabbits

Abstract

Rabbit erythrocytes tagged with Cr51 largely disappeared from subcutaneous and intramuscular sites within 3-4 days. The same was true of tagged blood injected intrapleurally in rabbits. However, blood given intraperitoneally returned almost completely to the circulation in 1-4 days. Rabbits disposed of tagged human cells in subcutaneous and intramuscular sites more rapidly if the rabbits were previously sensitized to human erythrocytes. It is assumed that the rapid fall in activity after intramuscular or subcutaneous cut injection of tagged blood is related to the lysis of cells and disappearance of the hemoglobin while the persistent level of activity represents Cr51 fixed by tissue cells in the site of injection.