Localization of calcium in red blood cells.
Open Access
- 1 September 1983
- journal article
- research article
- Published by SAGE Publications in Journal of Histochemistry & Cytochemistry
- Vol. 31 (9), 1109-1116
- https://doi.org/10.1177/31.9.6411806
Abstract
The distribution of calcium is demonstrated in human red blood cells (RBC) with a combined phosphate-pyroantimonate technique (PPA). Freshly collected blood and tissue biopsies were initially fixed in potassium phosphate-glutaraldehyde and the complexed calcium was subsequently visualized on Vibratome sections with potassium pyroantimonate. The majority of cells, both in isolated as well as "in situ" preparations, show a fine granular precipitate located at the inner leaflet of the plasma membrane. A minority of cells lack these membrane-associated deposits, exhibiting instead a random distribution of very fine precipitate in their cytoplasm. Capillary endothelial cells and pericytes are devoid of plasma membrane-bound precipitate. When irreversible crenation of RBC is induced by exposure to ionophore A 23187 and calcium, the sphero-echinocytes loose their membrane-bound precipitate, whereas the cells that retain their discocyte shape demonstrate the usual pattern of membrane-bound deposits. Contrarily, cells showing reversible shape changes induced by either A 23187-Ca2+ challenge, by adenosine triphosphate depletion during aging, or contact with lysolecithin, retain or regain the membrane-bound calcium. This cytochemical demonstrable calcium at the inner leaflet of the plasma membrane is probably bound to acidic phospholipids, since it is readily extractable with the nonionic detergent Triton X-100.This publication has 2 references indexed in Scilit:
- Localization and Role of Calcium in the Erythrocyte Coat: Effects of Enzymes and StorageBritish Journal of Haematology, 1978
- BICONCAVE SHAPE AND ITS TRANSFORMATIONS IN HUMAN RED-CELLS1978