Document Type

Thesis - Open Access

Award Date

1969

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department / School

Entomology-Zoology

Abstract

Ammonia is produced by the normal cellular metabolic processes in mammals; however, ammonia can produce deleterious effects which are well known to many research fields. Ammonia when administered or absorbed at a slow rate may be tolerated in vast quantities by most living organisms. Relatively minute blood ammonium-nitrogen (BAN) levels are present because mammals have efficient systems for excreting ammonia or converting it to non-toxic end products. Normal BAN levels originate mainly from cellular metabolism and bacterial degradation of nitrogenous substrates in the alimentary tract lumen. Impaired detoxification processes (hepatic functional insufficiency and/or portal system shunts) promote elevated BAN levels when ammonium ions are introduced too rapidly, when ammonia quantities are excessive, or when highly toxic ammonium compounds are introduced. Deleterious actions of markedly elevated BAN levels indicate graded responses in various tissues. Many of these tissue responses have not been evaluated in relation to elevated BAN levels. The purpose of this study was to investigate BAN and tissue ammonium-nitrogen (TAN) levels and percent tissue water in pregnant rabbits when administered massive urea doses by gavage route.

Library of Congress Subject Headings

Rabbits

Format

application/pdf

Number of Pages

40

Publisher

South Dakota State University

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