The preservation of blood for transfusion. 8. Effect of adenine and inosine on the adenosine triphosphate and viability of red cells of blood stored at 1 degree C. for 21 days.

Abstract

Abstract Addition of adenine and inosine (AI) to obtain a concentration of 2 and 20 to 30 μmoles per gram of hemoglobin, respectively, has been made to blood stored for 21 days; this represents the present permissive time limit of preservation of acid-citrate-dextrose (ACD) blood for the purpose of transfusion. It will be seen that blood maintained at 1 ° C. after the addition of AI showed significant regeneration of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and improvement of viability of red cells, resulting in a 24 hour average posttransfusion survival of 76.7 per cent (74.7 to 77.6) at 42 days of storage. Morphologic and dimensional characteristics of red cells were maintained within normal limits for the duration of the experiment.