Methemoglobin formation and reduction in man and various animal species.

SMITH, JOSEPH E., AND ERNEST BEUTLER. Methemoglobin formation and reduction in man and various animal species. Am. J. Physiol. 2 I o(2) : 34.7-350. 1 g66.-The rate of methemoglobin formation and reduction in man, goats, sheep, horse, cattle, and pigs was studied. Methemoglobin formation in the various species was studied by the addition of sodium nitrite to hemoglobin solutions, and methemoglobin reduction was carried out on nitrited washed erythrocytes using glucose and glucose plus methylene blue. It appears that the susceptibility to methemoglobin formation is related to the methemoglobin reduction rate in such a way that a rapid methemoglobin formation rate is offset by a rapid methemoglobin reduction rate.