580 XII. HEMOGLOBIN CATABOLISM, II 



porphyrin-containing cells were not identical with the reticulocytes, 

 and could be recognized by their fluorescence. These "fluorescytes" 

 normally form 0.1% of the red cells. No parallelism exists between 

 the reticulocytosis in remission from pernicious anemia and the con- 

 centration of porphyrin in the erythrocytes, which reaches its maxi- 

 mum after the reticulocyte peak. This was confirmed by Watson and 

 collaborators (2994-) ■ In pathological conditions up to 5% of the 

 erythrocytes can consist of fluorescytes. In pernicious anemia the 

 maximum porphyrin concentration reached during the response to 

 liver therapy was 20-60 fig. per 100 ml., which then fell to 8-30 ng. 

 per 100 ml. on continued treatment {2527). Similar observations 

 were made by Vigliani and Sonzini {2886; cf. also 1631,2850). 



In lead intoxication Mgliani and co-workers {2883,288^,2887, cf. 2582) 

 found the protoporphyrin content of the erythrocytes to rise to very high 

 values ('200-1,000 /ig. per 100 ml.), while Kench and co-workers {1515) 

 found only 50-60 ng. per 100 ml., there being more protoporphyrin in the 

 plasma than in the corpuscles. In fevers and catarrhal jaundice the proto- 

 porphyrin content of the corpuscles is also raised {229,2886). High values 

 are also found in iron deficiency {2091a) and in chronic infections (412). 



Borst and Konigsdorffer {321,322) and Duesberg {638,639) observed por- 

 phyrin fluorescence in the erythroblasts and megaloblasts of the embryonic 

 bone marrow, as well as in the bone marrow in pernicious anemia. While the 

 former has been confirmed by later investigators, Seggel {2527) found no 

 fluorescent cells and Stacney and McCord {2615) no protoporphyrin in the 

 megaloblastic marrow of pernicious anemia; the latter workers showed, how- 

 ever, that protoporpliyrin appeared when the marrow became normoblastic 

 in response to liver therapy. Turner {2836) found porphyrin fluorescence in 

 the megaloblasts of the fox squirrel. According to Fischer and co-workers 

 {833), coproporphyrin is increased in the pernicious anemia marrow, but this 

 cannot be observed regularly {cf. Vannotti, 2850). In the bone marrow of the 

 six-month-old human fetus, Borst and Konigsdorffer observed copro- and 

 uroporphyrins in addition to protoporphyrin. 



Porphyrin in the plasma. The concentration of coproporphyrin in the 

 plasma, where it must be assumed to be present, is evidently very small. 

 Fischer and Zerweck {890) found traces, but none was detected by other 

 workers {2101 ,2466,2Jt96a,2508 ,2850) . It occurs, however, in the plasma in 

 porphyria, obstructive jaundice, nephritis, and lead intoxication {2850), and 

 also in the plasma of the fetus and newborn (Fikentscher, 758). In heavy 

 lead intoxication it may be accompanied by protoporphyrin {2883), in 

 porphyria by uroporphyrin {2494)- 



Occurrence of porphyrins in other parts of the human body. Until recently 

 there was little evidence of the occurrence of free porphyrin in the human 

 body as a normal constituent, with the exception of that of erythrocytes and 

 excreta {cf. Section 3.3.). In the fresh muscle Schumm {2494) found no por- 

 phyrin, although it is formed in autolysis. The traces of porphyrin observed 



