SURFACE TENSION OF SERUM

Abstract

Experiments are reported which indicate that a shift toward higher concentrations is observed in the minimum value of the static surface tension when plasma instead of serum solutions is used. The amount of the shift, expressed as a function of the concentration, shows that the figures are in satisfactory agreement with the determined amount of fibrinogen in the plasma. Some evidence is given that "plasma molecules" capable of organizing themselves on adsorbing surfaces exist in plasma, and that their length would be approximately 4.3 mµin round figures,instead of 4.0 mµ for the serum. The area occupied in the plane of adsorption by one individual molecule is, however, smaller than that occupied by the "serum molecule," thus indicating a marked structural difference between the two, the "plasma molecule" being narrower but longer than the "serum molecule." This difference may be due either to a different orientation accompanied by an increase in one of the dimensions, or else to an actual difference in structure with respect to the main axis, resulting in a decrease in the mean diameter of the "serum molecule" with an increase in the length of its main axis. The mass of the "plasma molecule" is about 6.3 per cent larger than that of the "serum molecule, " in the case of rabbit serum.