Dynamics of membrane structure of frog erythrocyte ghosts measured with a nanosecond fluorometer

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Koyama, T. | Araiso, T. | Nitta, J.

Affiliations: Division of Physiology, Research Institute of Applied Electricity, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060, Japan

Note: [] Accepted by: Editor S. Oka

Abstract: The dynamics of membrane microstructure was studied as molecular motions of phospholipids for bullfrog erythrocyte ghosts by the DPH fluorescence depolarization technique with a nanosecond fluorometer. The bullfrog erythrocyte ghosts were obtained by hypotonic lysis and collagenase treatment. The constituents of membrane proteins were confirmed by the disk gel electrophoresis. The viscosity of erythrocyte membrane ghosts was estimated to be 3.3±1.0 at 10°C, 2.1±0.1 at 20°C and 1.3±0.2 at 30°C in the unit of poise and the wobbling angle of lipid molecule was 35±1, 41±1 and 43±1 degree at the respective temperatures on an average and ±S.D. The viscosity is lower than that of human erythrocytes. The relatively low viscous phospholipid bilayer may be one of the factors for the deform ability of bullfrog erythrocytes.

Keywords: bullfrog erythrocyte, membrane viscosity, wobbling angle of phospholipid, temperature, electrophoresis, fluorescence depolarization

DOI: 10.3233/BIR-1987-24304

Journal: Biorheology, vol. 24, no. 3, pp. 311-317, 1987