Spontaneous aggregation of washed human erythrocytes in isotonic media of reduced ionic strength. Conclusions about the spatial arrangement of the N-terminal, part of the glycophorins¹

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Lerche, D.

Affiliations: Humboldt-Universität, Institut für medizinische Physik und Biophysik, Bereich Haemorheologie und Haemodynamik, und Sektion Biologie, Bereich Biophysik, 1040 Berlin, German Democratic Republic

Note: [1] Paper prepared at the 4th International Congress of Biorheology, Tokyo, 1981.

Note: [] Accepted by: Editor D. Quemada

Abstract: Aggregation measurements of washed human erythrocytes (RBC) were made in an NaCl-PBS solution under laminar shear conditions. An artificial aggregation was caused by decreased pH and reduced ionic strength and characterized by collision efficiency, i.e. the probability of permanent aggregate formation. It was found that aggregation increases with reduced ionic strength and decreased pH value of the medium. Aggregation can be inhibited by addition of human serum albumin and neuraminidase treatment (removal of sialic acids). As calculations show, the results cannot be explained by the force balance between electrostatic repulsion and attraction due to dispersion forces. It was assumed that this type of aggregation involves reversible changes of the surface structure of REC. Possible conclusions for the arrangement of the glycophorins of the glycocalyx (surface coat) are discussed.

Keywords: aggregation, RBC, surface structure, ionic strength

DOI: 10.3233/BIR-1982-19501

Journal: Biorheology, vol. 19, no. 5, pp. 587-598, 1982