Effect of repetitive bleeding on NADH-cytochrome b5 methemoglobin reductase activity and molybdenum content in erythrocytes in rats.

Reticulocytosis in rats was induced by repetitive bleeding. Both in the vitro and the in vivo studies showed that the detected reductive speed of methemoglobin of the bleeding group was faster than that of the control group at all time intervals. At the same time, the NADH-cytochrome b5 methemoglobin reductase activity and the molybdenum content in erythrocytes of the bleeding group were significantly increased. Regressional analysis showed that there was a significantly positive correlation between the enzyme activity and the molybdenum content. It is proposed that molybdenum might be required for the enzyme activity.