Abstract
The purpose of this study is to learn the relationship between the hematopoietic function of bone marrow and xanthopterin metabolism. The xanthopterin content was measured by the method of Koschara, modified by the authors in the peripheral blood and organs, especially the bone marrow and urine, of normal rabbits, and of the animals at the recovery stage of bleeding anemia or suffering from either benzene poisoning or X-ray irradiation. In the rabbits at the recovery stage of bleeding anemia, the xanthopterin content of the bone marrow was increased remarkably. The urinary excretion of xanthopterin showed no remarkable change. When the hematopoietic function of the bone marrow in rabbits was injured by benzene poisoning or X-ray irradiation, the xanthopterin content of the bone marrow showed no remarkable change in the former, but showed a remarkable decrease in the latter, while the urinary excretion of xanthopterin was decreased in both cases. It might be concluded that there is a close relation between the hematopoietic function and xanthopterin content in the bone marrow of rabbits, and that xanthopterin content runs parallel with riboflavin content.
