An Estimate of Reflection Coefficients for Rabbit Heart Capillaries

Isolated perfused rabbit hearts have been used to determine the reflection coefficients, sigma, of the heart capillaries to certain lipoid-insoluble substances. This was done by initially perfusing the heart with a Ringer solution containing no test molecule and then suddenly switching to a solution which differed from the original only by containing a small amount of test substance. This produced a loss of weight of the heart which was continuously recorded as a function of time. Taking the "zero" time rate of weight change and using an equation given by Kedem and Katchalsky reflection coefficients for urea, sucrose, raffinose, and inulin were obtained. These turned out to be 0.1, 0.3, 0.38, and 0.69 respectively. Using the approach of Durbin and Solomon equivalent pore radii were estimated to be about 35 Angstroms.