Characteristics of shortened survival of stress erythrocytes in the rabbit

Abstract

Both autologous and isologous survival studies were made in the rabbit of cohort populations of normocytic and macrocytic erythrocytes labeled with 59Fe and diisopropylfluoro-phosphate 32. The macrocytic cells, produced in response to the administration of phenylhydrazine, had an average volume twice that of normocytic erythrocytes. On the average, 30% of the normocytes were destroyed in a random manner with a tj/2 of 66 days, whereas the macrocytes disappeared at 2 exponential rates, 25% with a t^/2of 4 days (a) and 50% with a ti/2 of 23 days (b). The normocytic and macrocytic erythrocytes that escaped random destruction had an average potential life span of 67 days and 64 days, respectively. The results suggest that at least 2 populations of short-lived macrocytes are produced which have a physical defect or metabolic anomaly that renders them more susceptible to destruction than normal erythrocytes.