Abstract
The state of red blood cells (RBCs) and their functional possibilities depend on the structural organization of the membranes. Cell morphology and membrane nanostructure are compositionally and functionally related to the cytoskeleton network. In this work, the influence of agents (hemin, endogenous oxidation during storage of packed RBCs, ultraviolet (UV) radiation, temperature, and potential of hydrogen (pH) changes) on the relationships between cytoskeleton destruction, membrane nanostructure, and RBC morphology was observed by atomic force microscope. It was shown that the influence of factors of a physical and biochemical nature causes structural rearrangements in RBCs at all levels of organization, forming a unified mechanism of disturbances in relationships “cytoskeleton-membrane nanosurface-cell morphology”. Filament ruptures and, consequently, large cytoskeleton pores appeared. The pores caused membrane topological defects in the form of separate grain domains. Increasing loading doses led to an increase in the number of large cytoskeleton pores and defects and their fusion at the membrane nanosurfaces. This caused the changes in RBC morphology. Our results can be used in molecular cell biology, membrane biophysics, and in fundamental and practical medicine.
Highlights
The state of red blood cells (RBCs) and the capabilities of their gas-transport function depend on the morphology and membrane nanostructure [1]
We have shown how cytoskeleton filament ruptures lead to large pores formation and how this process appears on the membrane nanosurface in the form of grain domains and topological defects
We showed how disruption of the RBC cytoskeleton filaments generates large pores in it and how this process occurs on the membrane nanosurface in the form of grain domains
Summary
The state of red blood cells (RBCs) and the capabilities of their gas-transport function depend on the morphology and membrane nanostructure [1]. The cell morphology and membrane nanostructure are structurally and functionally related to the cytoskeleton network, the most important component of RBCs [2]. External influences on RBCs, in particular, pharm-chemicals, bacteria, viruses, ionizing radiation, etc., can affect the rheological properties of blood and disrupt the gas-transport function of RBCs [3–6]. Several studies have shown that changes in RBCs can cause serious complications in the organism [7–9]. There is a special emphasis on investigations of RBC structural organization due to the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus [6,10]. The characteristic changes in RBC morphology are considered as a key link in the diagnosis of diseases [11,12]
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