HEMOGLOBIN AND PLASMA PROTEIN

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Abstract
Given healthy dogs, fed abundant iron and a limited protein diet, with sustained anemia due to simple bleeding, we can study the capacity of each animal to produce new hemoglobin and plasma protein. Some dogs can produce much hemoglobin and enough new plasma protein to maintain the plasma protein concentration at approximately a low normal level. It is probable that their plasma protein producing capacity is not fully extended (Table 2). Other dogs (Table 5) can produce the same amount of hemoglobin but a hypoproteinemia develops and continues which should mean a maximal stimulus to produce new plasma protein. In such dogs we have strong stimuli to produce simultaneously new hemoglobin and new plasma protein. The ratio of plasma protein to hemoglobin varies from 40 to 60 per cent. The total new formed blood protein may amount to 30 to 40 per cent of the total diet protein intake which shows that some dogs have remarkable capacity to conserve and use diet protein. In this emergency of simultaneous depletion of hemoglobin and plasma protein levels, the dog gives preference to hemoglobin manufacture no matter what one of the listed food proteins is tested.

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