J10 lactate-induced polycythemia in newts.

Specimens of Triturus cristatus carnifex (Laurenti) raised for about 3 weeks in a 3 gm/liter solution of sodium lactate present a slight alkalosis and a mean increase of about 35% in the red blood cell count in comparison to control animals raised in identically oxygenated water; analogous treatment with an equal molar concentration of sodium pyruvate produces only alkalosis. Since lactate alone determines an increase in the number of erythrocytes as does hypoxia, and hypoxia always induces an increase in plasma lactate levels, it can be deduced that erythropoietin (ESF) production is stimulated by an increase in plasma lactate and not directly by a lack of oxygen. The hypothesis that ESF in newts is produced by the "lactate-sensitive cells" of the renal corpuscles, which hypertrophy after experimental anaemia or treatment with lactic acid salts, is indirectly confirmed.