Häggendal, J. An improved method for fluorimetric determination of small amounts of adrenaline and noradrenaline in plasma and tissues. Acta physiol. scand. 1963. 59. 242–254. — By the introduction of several modifications of the trihydroxyindole method for the determination of adrenaline and noradrenaline appreciable improvement of the sensitivity has been obtained. The blank values have been considerably reduced and stabilized by substituting dimercaptopropanol (BAL) in sodium sulfite solution for ascorbic acid. The eluate volume has been reduced and the degree of purification has been increased by a modified ion‐exchange procedure (Dowex 50 W‐X8). Deproteinization of plasma before the column procedure could be omitted. When this procedure was applied to 10 ml plasma obtained from normal persons at rest, noradrenaline spectra, with two activation peaks, were usually obtained. The average concentration of the noradrenaline was 0.3 ± 0.11 μg per litre of plasma. Normally no adrenaline was found. Noradrenaline occurred in plasma in both free and conjugated form.

No abstract

Häggendal, J. and T. Malmfors. Identification and cellular localization of the catecholamines in the retina and the choroid of the rabbit. Acta physiol. scand. 1965. 64. 58–66. – By means of fluorescence microscopical and chemical methods the catecholamines of retinas and choroids were examined in rabbits normally, after treatment with drugs interfering with catecholamine storage, and after bilateral cervical sympathectomy. Dopamine was found to be the dominating catecholamine in the retina, 0.1–0.2 μg per g. It was localized to particular neurons. The results support the view that dopamine serves as the transmittor of these neurons. Noradrenaline was found in the choroid, 0.2–0.3 μg per g. It was localized to adrenergic vascular nerves.

No abstract

Summary Six horses with a history of recurrent exertional rhabdomyolysis (RER) and 7 control horses performed both a 55‐min submaximal and later a 10‐min near‐maximal exercise test on a treadmill. Blood samples were obtained during exercise and gluteus medius muscle biopsies were obtained before and immediately after each exercise test and at 24 h after completion of the submaximal test. Rhabdomyolysis was developed by 3 of 6 RER horses during submaximal exercise and in 1 of the RER horses during near‐maximal exercise. Concentrations of potassium, glucose, free fatty acids, ammonia, lactate, cortisol, adrenaline and noradrenaline in the blood were measured. None of these variables appeared useful in predicting which RER horses would develop rhabdomyolysis. The RER horses that developed rhabdomyolysis (RERa) had higher Cortisol and blood glucose concentrations but otherwise had blood chemistry and muscle metabolic responses during submaximal and near‐maximal exercise similar to those of RER horses which did not develop rhabdomyolysis (RERb) and to controls. At rest, muscle glycogen concentrations were significantly higher (>650 mmol/kg dry wt) in RERa and RERb horses than in controls. Lactate concentrations in muscle after submaximal and near‐maximal exercise were similar or lower, respectively, in RERa horses compared with controls. The results of this study indicate that, although horses with RER had high resting intramuscular glycogen concentrations, rhabdomyolysis did not appear to be caused by an excessively rapid rate of anaerobic glycolysis with lactate accumulation.

DAHLSTROM, A. and J. HAGGENDAL, Studies on the transport and life-span of amine storage granules in a peripheral adrenergic neuron system. Acta physiol. scand. 1966. 67. 2 78-288. The accumulation of noradrenaline (NA) above a ligation of the rat and cat sciatic nerve and the NA content of the adrenergic fibre system derived from this nerve were estimated. From the data obtained the rate of transport of amine storage granules and their life-span were calculated. For the rat the rate of transport was found to be 5-6 mm per hr and the life-span to be about 35 days. The corresponding values for the cat was 9-10 mm per hour and about 70 days, respectively. HILLARP, N.-A., K. FUXE and A. DAHLSTROM, Central monoamine neurons. Symposium on "Release of Biogenic Amines", Stockholm, February 1965. pp. 31-57. Eds. U. S. v. Euler, S. Rose11 and B. UvcL. Pergamon Press. HAGGENDAL, J., An improved method for fluorimetric determination of small amounts of adrenaline and noradrenaline in plasma and tissues. Acta physiol. scand. 1963. 59. 242-254. KOENIG, E., Synthetic mechanisms in the axon. 11. RNA in myelin-free axons of the cat. 3. Neurochem. 1965. 12. 357-361. LUBINSKA, L., S. NIEMIERKO, B. ODERFELT, L. SZWARC and .J. ZELENA, Bidirectional movements of axoplasm in peripheral nerve fibres. Acta Biol. exp. (Wars.) 1963. 23. 239-247. LUNDAORC., P., Storage function and amine levels of the adrenal medullary granules a t various intervals after reserpine treatment. Experientia 1963. 1.9. 479. MALMPORS, T., Studies on adrenergic nerves. The use of rat and mouse iris for direct observations on their physiology and pharmacology at cellular and subcellular levels. A d a phvsiol. scand. 1965. 64. Suppl. 248. SEDVALL, G., Noradrenaline storage in skeletal muscle. A d a phjwiol. scand. 1964. 60. 39--50. WF.ISS, P., The concept of perpetual neuronal growth and proximo-distal substance convection. In : Re,cional Neurochemisty, 1961. pp. 220-242. Eds.: S. S. Kety and J. Elkes, New-York-London. Pergamon Press.

No abstract

Rabbits were injected with reserpine (0.1 and 0.2 mg per kg subcutaneously) daily for weeks. Noradrenaline, dopamine, and 5‐hydroxytryptamine were determined in the brain, nor‐adrenaline in the heart, and adrenaline in the adrenals. Most of the monoamines disappeared from the tissues during the first few weeks. Almost normal behaviour was observed in animals with very low monoamine levels. Thus the major part of the monoamine stores could be removed with but slight functional changes. The data suggested, however, a correlation between the remaining small fraction and behaviour.