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1 Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington.
Splenomegaly was produced in rats by repeated intraperitoneal injections of
methylcellulose. Anemia and marked reticulocytosis resulted. Coombs tests were
negative. Comparative measurements of red cell life with Cr51 in normal, methyl-cellulose treated, and splenectomized animals showed a marked decrease of red cell
survival in the methylcellulose rats. Slight but statistically insignificant increased
survival could be demonstrated in the splenectomized animals. Excessive red cell destruction occurred in the spleen as evidenced by rapid
localization of Cr51-tagged cells in this organ. Direct correlation between severity
of hemolysis and splenic size could be demonstrated. The hemolytic process
decreased significantly after splenectomy. Affected spleens showed red cell congestion of the pulp microscopically. Hemochromogen determinations revealed approximately twice the normal amount of
hemoglobin per unit splenic mass. Quantitative measurements of splenic phagocytosis showed a marked increases
of total phagocytic mass with no significant increase of phagocytes per unit of
spleen mass. The mechanism of splenic anemia in these animals is thought to be a combination of an enlarged pulp compartment with resultant stasis and cell destruction. Methylcellulose-induced splenomegaly may be considered as an experimental
model for the study of the hyperfunctional spleen in human disease.
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| Copyright © 1956 by American Society of Hematology Online ISSN: 1528-0020 | |||||||||
