Aspects of protein bound copper in sheep plasma and its release in vitro especially after treatment with ammonium tetrathiomolybdate.

The distribution of protein-bound copper in sheep plasma between a globulin and an albumin fraction, as well as copper release in vitro by means of various agents, either from the above-mentioned fractions or from those formed after ammonium tetrathiomolybdate (TTM) treatment, were studied. Copper bound in both plasma globulin and albumin (CuGA) is 95.1% of the total plasma copper (CuT); copper release from the globulin fraction by means of trichloracetic acid (TCA) or cyanides (CN-) is relatively low, 17.1% and 25.8% respectively, while there is not any copper release after TTM treatment; however, the copper release from the albumin fraction by means of TCA and CN- is relatively high, 59.2% and 74.9%, respectively, while the treatment with TTM has the same effect of no copper release as mentioned above for the globulin fraction.