Rabbit pericardium

Rabbits of either sex (2 - 3 kg) were killed by a blow on the head and exsanguinated. Pericardial, pleural and peritoneal fluid was collected from the cavities and centrifuged at low speed (300 g) in order to remove the cells (9). Pieces of pericardium and peritoneum were removed, trimmed free of fat and put in ice cold Tris-HCI buffer (50 mM, pH 8). Tissues were incubated in 2 ml Tris-HCI buffer for 20 min at 37°C and removed from the incubation media before extraction was carried out. 

In a previous study from our laboratory, we demonstrated that the serous membranes (pericardium, peritoneum and pleura) of the rabbit have a significant capacity to biosynthetize PGI2 (17). A typical radiochromatogram,... 

HERMAN AG, CLAEYS M, MONCADA S, VANE JR Biosynthesis of prostacyclin (PGI2) and 12L-hydroxy-5,8,10,14-eicosatetraenoic acid (HETE) by pericardium, pleura, peritoneum and aorta of the rabbit. Prostaglandins 18 439 - 453, 1979. 

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