The American journal of physiology
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Phospholipid vesicles encapsulating purified hemoglobin (HbV) were developed to provide O2-carrying capacity to plasma expanders. Microvascular perfusion was determined for HbV with different O2 affinity (P50 = 9, 16, and 30 mmHg) prepared by coencapsulating pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP) at the molar ratios of [PLP]/[Hb] = 0, 0.5, and 3, respectively (cf. hamster blood, P50: 28 mmHg), and suspended in 8 g/dl human serum albumin (HSA). Eighty percent of the red blood cell (RBC) mass of conscious Syrian golden hamsters fitted with dorsal skinfold windows was substituted with either of the HbV-HSA suspensions, washed hamster RBC suspended in HSA (RBC-HSA), and HSA alone. ⋯ Microvascular perfusion and microvascular and interstitial O2 tensions in the HbV (P50 = 16 and 30)-HSA groups were significantly higher than those in the HSA group. The O2 release rate from the HbV was 18-32 s-1 vs. 4.4 s-1 for RBC. Functional capillary density was improved from 17 to 41% on average by decreasing P50 from 30 to 16 mmHg, which appears to be an optimal value for the P50 in this system.