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Lymphocyte kinetics in acute uremia: redistribution of circulating lymphocytes to the bone marrow
Abstract:
The mechanism(s) responsible for the peripheral blood lymphocytopenia found in uremia was investigated. Inbred Magnum guinea pigs were made uremic by ureteral ligation, and 1 day later injected with chromium (Cr)51-labeled syngeneic lymphocytes intravenously. 1 day later, the animals were sacrificed and organs counted for radioactivity. Sham-operated animals served as controls. Radioactivity in the lung and liver was the same or greater in the sham-operated animals than in uremic animals. In the blood and spleen, radioactivity was slightly higher in the uremic animals, while in the long bones this was significantly higher. In uremia therefore, there appears to be a redistribution of circulating lymphocytes to the bone marrow. The resultant lymphocytopenia may play a role in the immunologic incompetence seen in uremia.
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