Accumulation of Radionuclide-Labeled Platelets and Fibrinogen in Paraquat-Damaged Rat Lungs1-3

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Abstract
After intraperitoneal injection of paraquat, rats showed evidence of neurologic and respiratory damage and had a mortality rate of 41 % in 3 days. The lungs quadrupled in weight between the third and the fifth day. Pulmonary edema and extravascular fibrin and platelets were identified by light and transmission electron microscopy. As early as 4 h after injection of the paraquat, 51Cr from labeled platelets began accumulating in the lungs. The peak was reached by 48 h; 125l from labeled fibrinogen also concentrated in the lungs of treated rats. Total complement was unchanged. The paraquat-treated rat is a suitable model for study of the behavior of fibrin and platelets in permeability pulmonary edema. Disturbances of copper metabolism deserve further investigation.