Evaluating the effect of biochemical rejuvenation on the ex vivo perfused kidney. Data shown for 3 independent experiments. (A) Single-cell oxygen saturation imaging of RBCs that had been biochemically rejuvenated or sham treated. Rejuvenation robustly restores the unloading time constant of long-stored RBCs toward reference values. (B) Matched time courses of partial pressures of O2 (PO2) in arterial blood, kidney cortex, and urine during the 3 experimental phases: perfusion with standard (sham-treated) blood, rejuvenated blood, and back to standard blood. Significant improvements are observed in cortical and urine PO2 during perfusion with rejuvenated red cells. (C) Oxygen-unloading kinetics (top) and its carrying capacity (bottom) measured in samples taken during the 3 phases of the experiment, in comparison to packed blood prior to perfusion. Significant effect of rejuvenation on kinetics during phase 2 (paired t test). (D) Oxygen diffusion capacity is significantly enhanced by rejuvenation, as is cortical oxygenation (paired t test).
