COMPARISON OF BILIRUBIN BINDING AND OTHER MOLECULAR-PROPERTIES OF THESERUM-ALBUMIN OF SEVERAL MAMMALIAN-SPECIES

In order to develop an animal model for in vivo testing of the displac ing action of various drugs and for study of the bilirubin deposition in the brain, some molecular properties of the serum albumin from diff erent species i.e. pig, cat, human, dog, sheep, guineapig and rat were investigated. These albumins were found to have differences in molecu lar weight, Stokes radius and electrophoretic mobility. They also show ed different bilirubin binding characteristics when studied by spectro scopy and fluorescence quenching. It is therefore, necessary to consid er the species differences when results of animal experimentation are used as a basis for the investigation of human kernicterus.