Time-course of injected acetate in normal and depancreatized dogs

Abstract

Acetate utilization was studied in normal and depan-creatized dogs by following the rate of disappearance of acetate injected directly into the blood stream. Acetic acid was higher than normal in the blood and urine of diabetic animals even before acetate injection. When acetate was injected it always disappeared from the blood very rapidly, at a rate which depended upon its initial blood concentration. Its elimination via the kidneys was small. In diabetic dogs the rate of disappearance of acetate from the blood was markedly lower and acetate injection produced a higher and more prolonged increase in concentration of blood ketone bodies than in normal dogs. The highest blood concentration of ketone bodies corresponded with the maximal drop of blood acetate.