PLASMODIUM GALLINACEUM - CHICKEN ERYTHROCYTE SURVIVAL AS DETERMINED BY SODIUM RADIOCHROMATE51 AND DI-ISOPROPYLFLUOROPHOSPHATE32 LABELING

The chromium-51 and di-isopropylfluorophosphate-32 labeling techniques were used to evaluate erythrocyte survival in healthy and Plasmodium gallinaceum-infected chickens. Analysis of the data obtained from noninfected chickens indicated that the chicken erythrocyte has a life span of about 34 days, that there is no physiological random destruction of chicken erythrocytes, and that 51Cr elutes from chicken erythrocytes in the absence of disease at a fairly constant rate of about 2.5%/day. A comparison of curves of 51Cr and DF32P disappearance from the circulations of Plasmodium gallinaceum-infected chickens indicated that the chromium elution rate increased greatly as the infection progressed. The amount of 51Cr eluted from the erythrocytes of infected animals was sufficiently great that it must be assumed that the infection brought about increased elution from nonparasitized erythrocytes. Because of the effects of the infection upon elution of 51Cr from erythrocytes it is suggested that DF32P is the better label for studies of erythrocyte destruction in malaria and that 51Cr is not a suitable label for evaluating erythrocyte destruction in malaria except in studies of short duration. © 1969.