Hemolysis and erythropoiesis. VI. A comparative study of the utilization of hemoglobin iron and transferrin iron by the erythropoietic tissue.

O UR PREVIOUS OBSERVATIONS have shown that intraperitoneal administration of autohemolysates accelerates the recovery from anemia in bled dogs.13 On the basis of this and other experimental data4#{176} we reconsidered the hypothesis7’8 that red cell constituents have an erythropoietic stimulatory effect.1’6 However, it has been suggested that the above findings are due, instead, to the availability of iron derived from hemoglobin catabolism,#{176} or to the reutilization of hemoglobin constituents by erythropoietic tissue.10.11 Data indicating that these alternative explanations are unlikely are presented in this report.