Accumulation of dextran in human red cells after haemolysis.

Abstract

MILD osmotic haemolysis induces changes in the porosity of red cells, which seem to be largely reversible. It has been reported that ghosts can function as osmometers1 and that the kinetics of glycerol penetration may be unaltered by haemolysis2. Haemolysis has been used to introduce metabolically active substances into the ghosts3. The influx of ‘foreign’ haemoglobin as a result of haemolysis has also been reported4,5.