Determination of blood volume in the mouse with 51chromium-labelled erythrocytes.

The present report concerns the use of 51chromium-labelled erythrocytes to measure the blood volume of mice. Statistical analysis showed a linear correlation between blood volume and body weight for male and female Swiss mice and female B10 mice; for female CBA mice the relation was curvilinear. The mean blood volumes of these mice, expressed per 100 g body weight, amounted to 7.14 ml for male Swiss mice, 7.17 ml for Swiss females, 6.96 ml for B10 females, and 6.29 ml for CBA females. The difference in blood volume between the CBA strain and the other mouse strains is statistically significant.