The life duration of the red blood cell of the macacus rhesus monkey

Abstract

Abstract 1.1. A method is given for making permanent preparations of reticulocytes in monkey blood. 2.2. Curves are presented showing daily reticulocyte counts in two control and eight experimental animals, covering periods of from 120 to 170 days. 3.3. Two types of blood depletion were employed to stimulate hemopoesis: (1) withdrawal of large amounts (1 per cent of the body weight) at one operation and (2) fractional withdrawal of 5 per cent of the body weight in blood, at intervals of 72 hours (usually four operations). 4.4. The splan of life of the red blood cell of the macacus rhesus monkey was determined by autonomous blood replacement following hemorrhage. When this method is employed, a spontaneous reticulocyte shower occurs from 94 to 117 days later, indicating a reaction to the mass disappearance of the block of red cells originally mobilized to replace those lost by hemorrhage. The time lapse between the induction of the hemorrhage and the peak of the spontaneous reaction is interpreted to be the life span of the red blood cell in this animal. We realize that from these figures must be deducted the latent period of reaction, which in the monkey was found to be from two to four days.