Tissue slice water and electrolyte metabolism of adult cats during cold exposure

¹ Department of Research Physiology, William H. Singer Memorial Research Laboratory, Allegheny General Hospital, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Liver, kidney and thyroid slices were taken from adult cats exposed to 0°C from 2 hours to 15 days, and incubated under oxygenation in Krebs-Ringer phosphate buffer media for 30 minutes at 38°C. Pre- and postincubation wet weight/dry weight and Na²⁴ exchanges were measured. I¹³¹ exchange was measured in thyroid slices. At 1–12 hours of cold exposure kidney cortex, liver and thyroid exhibited increased uptake of water from the media, declining at 4–6 days of cold exposure below control values. By 8–12 days these values returned to control levels or above. Na²⁴ uptake by kidney and liver slices and I¹³¹ uptake by thyroid was inversely proportional to values found for water uptake. I¹³¹ uptake by thyroid declined with time of cold exposure; by 8–12 days, I¹³¹ uptake from the media had significantly increased, reaching 45% above control values on the 15th day. It was concluded cold exposure placed severe and immediate metabolic demands upon the tissues, resulting in impaired tissue electrolyte and water equilibrium.