Effect of Carbon Monoxide Exposure on Capillary Permeability to Albumin and α₂-Macroglobulin

Carbon monoxide exposure of nine dogs for two to five hours giving an average carboxyhemoglobin concentration of 38 per cent caused an average increase in lymph flow via the thoracic duct of 70 per cent. Lymph flux of albumin (mw 69,000) and α₂-macroglobulin (mw 820,000) showed an average increase of 45 per cent and 90 per cent respectively. These results point to increased capillary permeability of fluid and protein in the splanchnic capillaries. Finally, the investigation suggests that diffusion of α₂-macroglobulin is restricted in the splanchnic capillaries, since a marked difference between the ratio of permeability coefficients for albumin and α₂-macroglobulin (P(alb)/Pα₂ -m=15.4) and the ratio between diffusion coefficients (D(alb)/Dα₂ -m=2.5) were found.