The nature of the cell membrane charge measured by partition in aqueous two-polymer phase systems: Differentiation of classes of beef erythrocytes

Abstract

Beef erythrocytes are comprised of three major classes: those having low, intermediate or high partition coefficients in aqueous dextran-polyethylene glycol phases. All beef erythrocytes have the same electrophoretic mobility but cells having a high partition release far more sialic acid when treated with neuraminidase or trypsin than do cells belonging to the other two classes. The partition of cells in two-polymer aqueous phase systems is thus shown to measure charge-associated-properties much deeper into the membrane than does cell electrophoresis.