Bovine erythrocyte membrane: Does not act as a molecular sieve or allow for hemolytic fractionation of red cells according to age

Abstract

1. 1. Graded osmotic hemolysis of bovine erythrocytes failed to reveal differences in the extent of liberation of four enzymes (glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, lactate dehydrogenase, aspartate aminotransferase and aldolase) relative to the hemoglobin release between red cell fractions of different osmotic fragility except for the most resistant fraction although activities of these enzymes diminished with increasing cell density. 2. 2. This indicates that neither the osmotic fragility of bovine erythrocytes increases during in vivo aging nor does the bovine erythrocyte membrane acts as a molecular sieve during hemolysis.