Surface and metabolic properties of microcytic and macrocytic human anaemic red blood cells detected in polymer aqueous two-phase systems.
Microcytic and macrocytic red blood cells from anaemic patients have been fractionated as a function of cell surface properties by the countercurrent distribution technique using charge-sensitive dextran/poly(ethylene glycol) aqueous two-phase systems. As deduced from the fractionation profiles, microcytic cells constitute a heterogeneous cell population with decreased surface charge properties while. macrocytic cells constitute a homogeneous cell population with behaviour similar to that of the control red blood cells. The specific activity of pyruvate kinase, an age-dependent enzyme, did not change along microcytic red blood cells fractionation profiles, suggesting that such cells have altered ageing properties. However, pyruvate kinase specific activity decreases from the left- to the right-hand side of the fractionation profile of macrocytic red blood cells, indicating that these cells follow the normal ageing process. Bisphosphoglycerate mutase specific activity did not change along the fractionation profile of any cell population under study, thus providing 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate during the life-span of the red blood cells from anaemic patients.
Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Universidad de Alcalá, Campus Universitario, Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain.
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García-Pérez
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Sancho
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D000328:Adult; D000748:Anemia, Macrocytic / Q000097:blood*; D000752:Anemia, Pernicious / Q000097:blood*; D001731:Bisphosphoglycerate Mutase / Q000378:metabolism; D001800:Blood Specimen Collection; D002458:Cell Fractionation; D002469:Cell Separation / Q000379:methods*; D002623:Chemistry Techniques, Analytical / Q000379:methods*; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D011770:Pyruvate Kinase / Q000378:metabolism; D013499:Surface Properties
D011770:Pyruvate Kinase; D001731:Bisphosphoglycerate Mutase