Steady state fluorescence polarization and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy studies on membranes of functionally senescent human erythrocytes.
Human erythrocytes were separated using Percoll/Albumin density gradient centrifugation into 5 subpopulations which represent cell subpopulations of different ages. The physico-chemical properties of the membranes and their lipid extracts, prepared from the 5 subpopulations, were studied by 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene fluorescence polarization and by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy respectively. The fluorescence polarization data show a decrease of membrane fluidity in the youngest erythrocyte fraction and the infrared spectroscopy reveals a lower degree of unsaturation of the lipids from this fraction. Changes of membrane fluidity among the 5 erythrocyte subpopulations is assigned to the variations of the degree of unsaturations of lipids rather than to variations of cholesterol content.
Fiorini
R
R
Institute of Biochemistry, University of Ancona, Italy.
Curatola
G
G
Kantar
A
A
Giorgi
P L
PL
Bertoli
E
E
Tanfani
F
F
D000328:Adult; D002499:Centrifugation, Density Gradient; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000032:analysis; D004905:Erythrocyte Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D004910:Erythrocyte Membrane / Q000032:analysis / Q000502:physiology*; D005454:Fluorescence Polarization; D005583:Fourier Analysis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008560:Membrane Fluidity; D008563:Membrane Lipids / Q000032:analysis*; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000032:analysis
D008563:Membrane Lipids; D010743:Phospholipids; D002784:Cholesterol