title: Species characterization of plasma nitrite/nitrate (NOx) concentration.
abstract: Experiments were designed to detect and determine differences between nitrite/nitrate concentration ([NOx]) in plasma across 15 species selected from seven classes of vertebrates. Blood collected in syringes was placed immediately into ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA)-containing tubes and was centrifuged. Plasma [NOx] was determined by measurement of chemiluminescence. Across classes of vertebrates, baseline plasma [NOx] ranged from 0.6 to 171.3 nmol/ml. Mean +/- SD plasma [NOx] was highest in a fresh-water, jawless fish (lamprey, 95.5 +/- 9.1 nmol/ml) and lowest in a saltwater cartilaginous fish (skates, 1.1 +/- 0.4 nmol/ml). Both amphibians tested had a wide range in plasma [NOx], which was explained partly by temporal changes during the year. Within the mammalian class, plasma [NOx] ranged from 3.8 to 43.2 nmol/ml. Results of this study indicate that NO is detectable in plasma of all classes of vertebrates and that baseline concentration varies among species.
authors.affiliation: Capillary Physiology and Microcirculation Research Laboratory, S336 Sinclair School of Nursing, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, Missouri 65211-4120, USA.
authors.forename: Donna A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Debra A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.forename: William J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Krause
authors.forename: Mary H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Flood
authors.forename: Virginia M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Miller
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D009566:Nitrates / Q000097:blood*; D009573:Nitrites / Q000097:blood*; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D009566:Nitrates; D009573:Nitrites