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Blood volume determinations in sheep before and after splenectomy
K G Torrington1, J S McNeil, Y Y Phillips
1Department of Respiratory Research, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Washington, DC 20307-5100.
Laboratory Animal Science
|November 1, 1989
Summary
Splenectomy in sheep moderately reduced blood volume parameters and eliminated preoperative variability caused by spleen-sequestered red blood cells (RBCs). This highlights the spleen's dynamic role in blood volume regulation.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Medicine
- Physiology
- Hematology
Background:
- The spleen plays a role in red blood cell (RBC) storage and release.
- Understanding the spleen's impact on blood volume is crucial for physiological studies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of splenectomy on blood volume parameters in domestic sheep.
- To assess the spleen's role in regulating total blood volume, red cell volume, and plasma volume.
Main Methods:
- Utilized 51Cr-labeled red blood cells (RBCs) for volume measurements.
- Measured blood volume parameters in 15 adult female sheep before and after splenectomy.
- Analyzed data from both normal and anemic sheep.
Main Results:
- Splenectomy led to modest reductions in blood volume parameters in most animals.
- Preoperative variability in blood volume due to splenic RBC sequestration was abolished post-splenectomy.
- 51Cr equilibration time decreased significantly after splenectomy.
Conclusions:
- The sheep spleen dynamically regulates blood volume through RBC sequestration and release.
- Splenectomy normalizes blood volume parameters and reduces measurement variability.
- Findings provide insights into splenic function in hematological regulation.