Biopolymers and cell. 1998; 14 (5): 456 - 462

Influence of dehydration conditions and ionic strength of rehydration media on osmotic response and lysis of rehydrated erythrocytes

S. V. Patelaros

Posthyperlonic lysis (PL) of erythrocytes represents one of the main factor of red blood cells (RBC) injuring caused by their low temperature preservation. Therefore PL mechanism is of great interest from the point of view of increasing ceils stability after their melting. The present report deals with the investigation of the osmotic response of the rehydrated RBC in the electrolyte and non-electrolyte isotonic media, preincuhated under hypertonic solu¬tions. PL has been found to be related to the formation of membrane hemolytic pores at the stage of rehybration during restoration of the RBC volumes and not under conditions of hypertonic incubation. Hemolytic pores depend on both dehydration and rehydration conditions, such as osmolarity and ionic strength. Hemolysis is stronger manifested in the non-electrolyte media, it is intensified by the prolongation to the hypertonic incubation, while the rise in the ionic strength of the rehydration medium results in its inhibition-Peculiarities in osmotic behaviour of rehydrated erythrocytes allow to conclude the changes in their cytoplasm organisation relative to native cells.