Thermal shock hemolysis in human red cells. I. The effects of temperature, time, and osmotic stress.
Thermal shock is a form of hemolysis which occurs in human red cells exposed to greater than a critical level of osmotic stress of 1.4 Osm and subsequently cooled from above about 12 degrees C to below that temperature. Higher concentrations and higher cooling rates each increase the amount of hemolysis, within limits. Incubation for varying periods in hypertonic solutions and varying temperatures of incubation affect the amount of thermal shock. The effect of cooling rate on thermal shock is independent of the period of exposure to hypertonic solutions. Thermal shock is not the cause of freezing injury in human red cells, at least above -10 degrees C.
D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D005615:Freezing; D006461:Hemolysis; D006801:Humans; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D013696:Temperature; D013997:Time Factors