The long-lived fusogenic state induced in erythrocyte ghosts by electric pulses is not laterally mobile.
The long-lived fusogenic state induced in spherical-shaped erythrocyte ghosts by electric field pulses (Sowers, A.E. 1984. J. Cell Biol. 99:1989-1996; Sowers, A.E. 1986. J. Cell Biol. 102:1358-1362) was studied in terms of how the fusion yield depended on both (a) the location where membrane-membrane contact took place with respect to the orientation of the electric pulse and (b) the time interval between the pulse treatment and membrane-membrane contact. Fusion yields were greater for membrane-membrane contact locations closer to where the pulse-induced transmembrane voltage was expected to be greatest and showed a time interval-dependent accelerating decay. The portion of the membrane that became fusogenic included the area up to a latitude of approximately 38 degrees of arc towards the equators of the membranes. A time interval-dependent increase or decrease in rate of decay in the fusion yield for membrane-membrane contacts induced closer to the equator of the membranes did not occur showing that the pulse-induced fusogenic state is immobile in the early 5-45-s interval after induction and has a rate of decay, which does not permit long time interval changes in lateral position to be measured.
Jerome H. Holland Laboratory for the Biomedical Sciences, American Red Cross, Rockville, Maryland 20855.
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Sowers
D002450:Cell Communication; D002459:Cell Fusion; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D004910:Erythrocyte Membrane / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006801:Humans; D007365:Intercellular Junctions / Q000502:physiology*