Heparin Content of Thoracic Duct Lymph Following Shock in Dogs

¹ From the Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas

Anaphylactic or peptone shock causes a release of heparin which is present in greater concentrations in lymph obtained from the thoracic duct than in either arterial or hepatic venous blood. Frequently heparin is present only in thoracic duct lymph following such shock. The evidence indicates that the source of this heparin is the liver and that during shock its passage from liver to blood is mainly by means of the thoracic duct. Heparin is not released into thoracic duct lymph or blood during a histamine or hemorrhage induced shock.