CHARACTERIZATION OF A STERILE SOFT-TISSUE INFLAMMATION MODEL IN THOROUGHBRED HORSES

This paper describes the use of subcutaneously-placed tissue chambers as a sterile soft-tissue inflammation model in Thoroughbred horses, Ac ute, nonimmune inflammation was initiated by injecting a sterile lambd a carrageenan solution into a tissue chamber, This model was used to s tudy the temporal changes in oxygen and carbon dioxide tensions, pH, b icarbonate, protein, albumin, prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)) and leukotri ene B-4 (LTB(4)) concentrations, cell counts and differential counts i n tissue fluid from inflamed tissue chambers and control chambers. Ski n temperatures over control and inflamed chambers were also compared. Carrageenan-induced inflammation resulted in significant increases in tissue-fluid carbon dioxide tension, leucocyte count, albumin, and PGE (2) and LTB(4) concentrations. It also resulted in a significant decre ase in tissue fluid pH and HCO3- concentration. Inflammation did not r esult in significant changes in tissue-fluid protein concentration, di fferential cell counts or skin temperature over the chambers, The use of this type of tissue chamber is well-suited for studying the pathoph ysiology of a self-contained, non-immune inflammatory process, The mod el described in this paper could prove to be very useful in studies of the distribution of anti-inflammatory drugs and the effects of such d rugs on various aspects of the inflammatory process.