Thoracic duct lymph and lymphocytes during primary hypoxia and rebound

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Abstract
Thoracic duct lymph flow and lymphocytes were first studied in 18 normal guinea pigs. Similar studies were then made on a) 25 guinea pigs placed in a decompression chamber at a simulated altitude of 14,000 ft for times ranging from 1 to 5 days, this being the period of "primary hypoxia" during which erythropoiesis is stimulated and polycythemia develops, and b) 25 guinea pigs exposed to primary hypoxia for 5 days, then kept in room air for times ranging from 1 to 5 days, this period of posthypoxic polycythemia being known as "rebound." By the end of rebound the polycythemia had almost disappeared. The flow of thoracic duct lymph increased significantly from a control level of 0.86 ± 0.21 ml/hr to 1.23 ± 0.1 ml/hr by the 5th day of primary hypoxia, and to a peak of 1.89 ± 0.23 ml/hr by the 3rd day of rebound, falling slightly to 1.56 ± 0.14 ml/hr by the 5th day of rebound, when it was still markedly above control level. The total cell content of the lymph also rose significantly, from 34.5 ± 10.3 x 106 lymphocytes/hr in the control animal to 59.1 ± 8.9 x 106 /hr on the 5th day of primary hypoxia, and to a peak of 93.8 ± 23.0 x 106 on the 3rd day of rebound.