THE QUANTITATIVE DETERMINATION OF ASCORBIC ACID IN SMALL AMOUNTS OF WHITE BLOOD CELLS AND PLATELETS

Abstract

A knowledge of the concentration of ascorbic acid in the white blood cells and blood platelets has been shown to be of value as an addition to blood plasma analysis in evaluating nutritional status, particularly at low levels of ascorbic acid intake (l-5). Furthermore, since it is probably more convenient to obtain specimens of white blood cells than of any other living cells of the body, it seems likely that analysis of these cells will become of increasing value in studying the physiology of ascorbic acid and other nutritive essentials in body fluids and tissues. Stephens and Hawley (6) determined the ascorbic acid content of white blood cells by an analysis of the buffy layer removed from 50 ml. blood specimens. This layer contains both white cells and blood platelets. It was later shown by Butler and Cushman (1) that the concentration of ascorbic acid is nearly the same in both of these fractions. (Throughout this communication the white cells plus blood platelets will be referred to collectively as “white cells.“) Butler and Cushman (1) simplified the collection of the white cells by centrifuging oxalated blood in special tubes with a central narrowed portion which converted the buffy coat into a well defined accessible column of cells. The required amount of blood, 15 ml., was subsequently reduced by Lubschez (7) to 4 or 5 ml.