title: Electrical stability of erythrocytes in the presence of divalent cations.
abstract: Erythrocytes suspended in a medium of low ionic strength lyse under the effect of an exponential electrical pulse. The percentage of haemolysed cells decreases several-fold in the presence of divalent cations. The protective action of the ions studied increases in the following order: Ca++, Mg++, Zn++. It is assumed that divalent ions bind to the negative charges of the lipid and protein molecules and reduce their electrostatic repulsion, which results in stabilization of the membranes.
authors.affiliation: Central Laboratory of Biophysics, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia.
authors.forename: T C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Tomov
authors.forename: I C
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Tsoneva
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Doncheva
mesh_terms: D002118:Calcium / Q000502:physiology*; D002951:Citrates / Q000097:blood; D004553:Electric Conductivity; D004910:Erythrocyte Membrane / Q000502:physiology*; D006461:Hemolysis; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008274:Magnesium / Q000502:physiology*; D015032:Zinc / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D002951:Citrates; D008274:Magnesium; D015032:Zinc; D002118:Calcium