Kinetic characterization of the terminal vascular bed during inflammation

Abstract

A mixture of small- and large-molecular weight substances (Rb86 and albumin-I131) was injected intravenously into anesthetized rats at measured times after the topical application of a phlogogen. Blood and skin specimens obtained I min later were analyzed for their isotope content. It was found that at every stage of the inflammatory reaction studied the skin uptake of radioalbumin was linearly related to the uptake of Rb86. This relationship was positive and, in contrast to the normal skin, statistically significant. The various parameters of the regression equations are interpreted in terms of nutritional blood flow, intravascular plasma content, rate of plasma extravasation, and fractional blood-tissue clearance of albumin. These parameters are shown to change in a characteristic manner with the progress of inflammation.