Evidence for the appearance of a reticulocyte population low in lipoxygenase mRNA during the recovery from a phenylhydrazine-induced anemia in rabbits.

It is shown that during recovery from a phenylhydrazine-induced anemia in rabbits a selective decrease in lipoxygenase mRNA takes place with a corresponding shut-off of the synthesis of the enzyme. It is suggested that a new population, 'recovery'-reticulocytes, makes its appearance in the peripheral blood. Their cells are more mature than the stress macroreticulocytes. A cell-free system prepared from the recovery-reticulocytes exhibits low endogenous synthesis of non-globin polypeptides, even without nuclease treatment, but retains full capacity to be stimulated by exogenous mRNA.