Freeze-fracture electron microscopy of human erythrocytes lacking the major membrane sialoglycoprotein.
Human erythrocytes of blood group En (a-), a rare homozygous condition involving a complete lack of the major sialoglycoprotein of the cell membrane (glycophorin A), were compared with erythrocytes from normal (En (a+)) individuals by freeze-fracture electron microscopy. No decrease in number, or variation in morphology, of the intramembranal particles of En (a-) cells was detectable. The results show that the erythrocyte sialoglycoprotein is not essential for the maintenance of the integrity of the intramembranal particles of the human erythrocyte membrane.
D004910:Erythrocyte Membrane / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D005614:Freeze Fracturing; D006801:Humans; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D012795:Sialoglycoproteins / Q000097:blood*
D008565:Membrane Proteins; D012795:Sialoglycoproteins