STUDIES WITH INAGGLUTINABLE ERYTHROCYTE COUNTS. III. KINETICS OF ERYTHROCYTE DESTRUCTION IN HUMAN BEINGS 1

Abstract

Equations were derived for the study of the kinetics of destruction of transfused erythrocytes and applied in human expts. on red blood cell survival. The survival of defective transfused red cells may be abnormally shortened in a normal recipient because of premature aging. In a diseased recipient the survival of normal transfused erythrocytes may be decreased by a random destructive mechanism acting in addition to the normal aging process. Defective red cells transfused to a normal recipient may be destroyed at random in addition to a normal aging process which suggests that these defective cells are removed by a normal physiologic process.