THE RESPIRATION OF RAT AND RABBIT INCISOR PULP

¹ Dental Division, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Washington, D. C.

1. The mean endogenous oxygen consumption of rat incisor pulp tissue with oxygen as the gas phase, calculated on several different bases, was found to be as follows:

Qo₂ (per mg. wet weight) = 0.33 µl per hr. (Groups 1, 2, 5).

Qo₂ (per mg. dry weight) = 5.10 µl per hr. (Group 1).

Qo₂ (per mg. nitrogen) = 35.04 µl per hr. (Groups 2, 5).

2. The carbon dioxide production of rat incisor pulp tissue with oxygen as the gas phase, calculated on several different bases, was found to be as follows:

Qco₂ (per mg. wet weight) = 0.37 µl per hr. (Group 5).

Qco₂ (per mg. nitrogen) = 34.52 µl per hr. (Group 5).

3. The respiratory quotient of rat incisor pulp tissue, calculated on several different bases, was found to be as follows:

R.Q. (wet weight) = 0.903 (Group 5).

R.Q. (nitrogen content) = 0.901 (Group 5).

4. The endogenous oxygen consumption of rabbit incisor pulp tissue, with oxygen as the gas phase and calculated on several different bases, was found to be as follows:

Qo₂ (per mg. wet weight) = 0.14 µl per hr. (Groups 3, 4, 6).

Qo₂ (per mg. dry weight)= 2.48 µl per hr. (Group 3).

Qo₂ (per mg. nitrogen) = 14.06 µl per hr. (Groups 4, 6).

5. The carbon dioxide production of rabbit incisor pulp tissue, with oxygen as the gas phase and calculated on several different bases, was found to be as follows:

Qco₂ (per mg. wet weight) = 0.13 µl per hr. (Group 6).

Qco₂ (per mg. nitrogen) = 13.22 µl per hr. (Group 6).

6. The respiratory quotient of rabbit incisor pulp tissue, calculated on several different bases, was found to be as follows:

R.Q. (wet weight) = 0.97 (Group 6).

R.Q. (nitrogen content) = 0.97 (Group 6).