title: Validity of plasma factor in schizophrenia as measured by tryptophan uptake.
abstract: The uptake of L-tryptophan by chicken erythrocytes is stimulated by the presence of human plasma; however, there is no difference between the stimulation caused by plasmas of normal, chronic hospitalized nonschizophrenic, or chronic hospitalized schizophrenic subjects. Human plasma in general contains a complement-dependent antibody which reacts with an antigen present in the membrane of chicken erythrocytes resulting in hemolysis. Hemolysis can be maintained at a constant level by certain concentrations of Ca++ ion, the addition of which resulted in a gradual increase in tryptophan uptake. The calcium effect is probably due to the fact that the metal acts as a cofactor or modifier of component(s) of plasma causing higher uptake. The data indicate that hemolysis is not determining uptake of tryptophan by chicken erythrocytes.
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000510:Alpha-Globulins / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000494:pharmacology; D002645:Chickens; D003165:Complement System Proteins; D004492:Edetic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D006168:Guinea Pigs / Q000276:immunology; D006461:Hemolysis / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D008875:Middle Aged; D010949:Plasma / Q000378:metabolism; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D013696:Temperature; D014364:Tryptophan / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000510:Alpha-Globulins; D014364:Tryptophan; D003165:Complement System Proteins; D004492:Edetic Acid; D002118:Calcium