The Removal of in Vitro Damaged Erythrocytes from the Circulation of Normal and Splenectomized Rats.

By JOHN E. ULTMANN AND CLARA S. GORDON T HE LIFE SPAN and sites of sequestration of erythrocytes with naturally occurring or induced red cell abnormalities in man and in animals have been studied by a number of investigators. Injuries induced by heat treatment or prolonged incubation,1 lecithin,5 l fluoride,6 incomplete agglutinins,4’79 metalloproteins,5 or by sulfhydryl inhibition with N-ethylmaleimide ( NEM ) or p-mercuribenzoate ( PMB ) ,2, 10, 1 1 have been investigated. A shortened red cell life span as well as splenic or hepatic sequestration of injured erythrocytes have been observed. In the present study, an attempt was made to answer the following questions : ( 1 ) What is the effect of NEM treatment or prolonged incubation at 37 C. on erythrocytes and their osmotic and mechanical fragility and their filterability? ( 2) How do these tests compare with each other? (3 ) What predictability do these in vitro tests have for in vivo behavior of erythrocytes? ( 4 ) What is the role of spleen, liver, and bone marrow in the process of sequestration? (5) What is the effect of splenectomy on erythrocyte survival and on the patterns of sequestration?