Effects of Cupric Ion and Digitonin in vitro on Erythrocytes and Liver Mitochondria from Essential Fatty Acid-deficient Rats

Abstract

Liver mitochondria and erythrocytes were isolated from essential fatty acid-deficient rats and the effect of cupric ion and digitonin on swelling and lysis was investigated. Both membranes were more resistant to the action of cupric ion than those isolated from rats fed a corn oil diet. In the presence of digitonin, deficient mitochondria swelled more rapidly and to a greater extent than the normal mitochondria. There appeared to be no difference in the susceptibility of normal and deficient erythrocytes to digitonin-induced lysis.