A research on rheological properties of erythrocyte of lung cancer patients

Abstract

The erythrocyte deformability, the membrane lipid fluidity and the anion permeability of erythrocytes for lung cancer patients were measured and the results were compared with those of healthy persons. The experimental results showed that the blood viscosity of lung cancer patients increased, the erythro-cyte deformability of lung cancer patients decreased, the erythrocyte membrane lipid fluidity and membrane anion permeability of lung cancer patients decreased as well. INTRODUCTION The major function of blood is carrying oxygen and nourishment to tissues, sending out the waste of metabolism and maintaining the body in physiological balance. The function of oxygen transportation is influenced not only by the number of erythrocytes and the quality and quantity of hemoglobin, but also by the rheological properties of blood cells. Erythrocytes are the major component of blood and play an important role in blood rheological properties. That erythrocytes have good deformability is a favourable condition for erythrocytes to go through the capillary. The erythrocyte deformability is strongly influenced by the erythrocyte membrane mechanical properties, which are determined by the structural and functional properties of membrane protein and lipid (1,2, 3). In some disease, the changes of structure and function of mem brane protein and lipid may cause the change of erythrocyte deformability. Erythrocyte membrane lipid fluidity is one of the mechanical properties of erythrocyte membrane. It has a close relation with the membrane tank tread motion, deformability, oxygen diffusion and enzyme activity. The change of membrane lipid fluidity can reflect the change of the structure and function of membrane protein and lipid (4). The permeability is another important property of erythrocyte membrane. Depending on Key Words, Lung cancer, erythrocyte, deformability, lipid fluidity, anion permeability.