Studies in blood glycolysis

Abstract The sugar of shed blood gradually decreases on standing without bacterial contamination and under either aerobic or anaerobic conditions. This decrease is greatest at 38 °C. and least in the ice box. Plasma, serum and hemolysed blood show no loss of sugar on standing. Saturation of whole blood with carbon monoxide does not inhibit glycolysis. When washed blood cells are added to Ringer's solution or to physiologic salt solution containing glucose, fructose or galactose, glycolysis occurs. The decrease in sugar concentration is greatest with glucose and least with galactose. The rate of glycolysis is dependent upon the blood cell volume. There appears to be no demonstrable difference between the rates of glycolysis in diabetic and nondiabetic bloods. Furthermore the blood cells of diabetic bloods cause as rapid a rate of glycolysis in Ringer's solution as the cells of nondiabetic bloods. Insulin therapy or insulin in vitro has no effect upon the rate of glycolysis. The decrease in sugar concentration is accompanied by a production of lactic acid, but the increase in lactic acid does not account for the total amount of sugar lost. Other acids than lactic acid are evidently produced during glycolysis. There is no production of carbon dioxide.