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The Origin and Destiny of Cholesterol in the Animal Organism. 

 Part IX. — On the Cholesterol Content of the Tissues, other 

 than Liver, of Rabbits under Various Diets and during 

 Inanition. 



By G. W. Ellis and J. A. Gardner. 



(Communicated by Dr. A. D. Waller, F.R.S. Received May 9, — Read 

 June 20, 1912.) 



(From the Physiological Laboratory of the University of Londori, South Kensington.) 



In Part VIII of this series of papers, we published analyses of the livers 

 of rabbits fed on various diets, and also of rabbits kept in a state of 

 inanition. The results appeared to lend support to the hypothesis previously 

 suggested with regard to herbivora, that when cells are broken down in the 

 normal life process, their cholesterol is not excreted as a waste product, but 

 is utilised in the formation of new cells. A function of the liver is to break 

 down dead cells and eliminate their cholesterol in the bile. After the bile 

 has been passed into the intestine in the process of digestion, the cholesterol 

 is re-absorbed, possibly in the form of esters, along with the bile salts, and is 

 carried in the blood stream to the various centres and tissues, for re-incorpora- 

 tion into the constitution of new cells. 



In this paper we give the cholesterol contents of some of the other tissues 

 of the animals dealt with in Part VIII, in which paper we gave a full 

 account of the methods used in extracting the tissues, and for estimating the 

 free and ester cholesterol. That paper also contained the detailed protocols, 

 giving the weights of the animals during the various dietetic periods and 

 during inanition, so that it is not necessary to refer to them in detail again. 

 The tissues examined are blood, muscle, brain, kidney, and lung. The other 

 organs of the rabbit were too small to be dealt with in individual animals. 



The investigation comprises the following experiments, the data of which 

 we have given as concisely as possible. Fuller details of the diets and 

 conditions of the animals under experiment are given in our previous 

 communication above mentioned. 



The Cholesterol Content of Blood, Kidneys, Muscle, Lungs, and Brains of 

 Rabbits Fed on Green Food. 



Experiments I and II : — 



Babbit A was fed, for a period of about 30 days, on a diet of cabbage and 



