Erythrocyte vesiculation. 2. Membrane molecular transformation.
A population of vesicles 150 +/- 30 nm in diameter was isolated from banked human blood and the perturbation of their membrane studied. SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis revealed the complete loss of spectrins from the vesicle membrane which was also depleted of various intrinsic proteins. In particular, severe reduction of protein 3 and glycophorin is consistent with the over 80% decline of intramembrane particles in either fracture face of the vesicle membrane. The stimulation of vesicle acetylcholinesterase is considered indicative of an initial disintegration associated with the segregation and rearrangement of membrane constituents. The findings are discussed with regard to the subcellular mechanisms of erythrocyte vesiculation.
D001793:Blood Preservation; D004910:Erythrocyte Membrane; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000166:cytology*; D005614:Freeze Fracturing; D006801:Humans