title: Microscopic evaluation of vesicles shed by erythrocytes at elevated temperatures.
abstract: The images of human erythrocytes and vesicles were analyzed by a light microscopy system with spatial resolution of better than 90 nm. The samples were observed in an aqueous environment and required no freezing, dehydration, staining, shadowing, marking, or any other manipulation. Temperature elevation resulted in significant concentration increase of structurally transformed erythrocytes (echinocytes) and vesicles in the blood. The process of vesicle separation from spiculated erythrocytes was video recorded in real time. At a temperature of 37°C, mean vesicle concentrations and diameters were found to be 1.50 ± 0.35 × 10(6) vesicles per microliter and 0.365 ± 0.065 μm, respectively. The vesicle concentration increased approximately threefold as the temperature increased from 37 to 40°C. It was estimated that 80% of all vesicles found in the blood are smaller than 0.4 μm. Accurate account of vesicle numbers and dimensions suggest that 86% of the lost erythrocyte material is lost not by vesiculation but by another, as yet, unknown mechanism.
authors: Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama, 36849; School of Kinesiology, College of Education, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama, 36849.
authors: Timothy
authors: T
authors: Moore
authors: Iryna
authors: I
authors: Sorokulova
authors: Oleg
authors: O
authors: Pustovyy
authors: Ludmila
authors: L
authors: Globa
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Pascoe
authors: Mary
authors: M
authors: Rudisill
authors: Vitaly
authors: V
authors: Vodyanoy
mesh_terms: D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000528:radiation effects*; D055354:Exosomes / Q000528:radiation effects*; D064368:Healthy Volunteers; D006801:Humans; D018715:Microscopy, Video / Q000379:methods; D013696:Temperature
keywords: echinocytes; light microscopy; real time; super resolution; vesicles