Coil planet centrifugal and capillary tube centrifugal analysis of factors regulating erythrocyte osmotic fragility and deformability.
Hydrated and dehydrated red cell samples were prepared from normal human red cells using the antibiotic nystatin. Furthermore, a series of red cell samples exposed to elevated temperature (20-50 degrees C, 10 min) were prepared. The osmotic fragility and deformability of these red cells were then measured, using the coil planet centrifuge system and the capillary tube centrifugal technique, respectively. The osmotic fragility of nystatin-treated red cells decreased and the deformability increased as dehydration of red cells progressed and alternatively, hydrated cells showed increased osmotic fragility and reduced deformability. Red cells exposed to elevated temperatures up to 49 degrees C for 10 min had no changes in mean corpuscular volume or in red cell shape. Above 47 degrees C, however, spectrin extractability progressively decreased and osmotic fragility and deformability decreased. Results suggest that the osmotic fragility snd deformability of red cells are interrelated, and are controlled by the geometry of the cell, including the ratio of cell surface area to cell volume and the viscoelastic properties of the membrane.
D002498:Centrifugation / Q000379:methods; D004909:Erythrocyte Indices; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007424:Intracellular Fluid / Q000502:physiology; D009761:Nystatin / Q000494:pharmacology; D009996:Osmotic Fragility / Q000187:drug effects
D009761:Nystatin