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Estimation of the Steady‐State NO Concentration in Blood
Author(s) -
Liu Xiaoping,
Yan Qingtao,
Liu Qihui,
Zweier Jay
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.21.5.a523-d
Subject(s) - steady state (chemistry) , diffusion , chemistry , red blood cell , hematocrit , permeability (electromagnetism) , membrane permeability , membrane , analytical chemistry (journal) , chromatography , thermodynamics , biophysics , biochemistry , physics , medicine , biology , endocrinology
In this study, equations for estimating the levels of steady‐state nitric oxide (NO) concentration in the solution containing RBCs have been derived from a spherical diffusion model. A steady‐state concentration experimental method was designed for examining the effect of NO generation rate (V 0 ) and Hematocrit (Hct) on the steady‐state NO concentration. By fitting experimental data with the equations, the permeability (P m ) of red blood cell (RBC) membrane to NO and the diffusion coefficient (D) of NO in the solution were found to be 4.5 ± 1.5 cm/s and 3410 ± 50 μm 2 /s at 37 °C, respectively. Simulations based on the experimental data and the diffusion model show: (I) The major (>80%) resistance against NO diffusion into RBCs in blood in the physiological range of Hct is from the extracellular unstirred solution layer surrounding each RBC. (II) The maximal NO concentration in blood is 0.012 nM as P m =4.5 cm/s, Hct=45% and V 0 =100 nM/s. Our results suggest that it is unlikely for NO to be exported from RBCs by changing the membrane permeability because the level of the steady‐state NO concentration is too low (<0.25 nM) even if P m is as low as 0.0415 cm/s, the smallest value reported for P m in literature.