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Heat‐Induced Erythrocyte Fragmentation in Neonatal Elliptocytosis
Author(s) -
Zarkowsky Harold S.
Publication year - 1979
Publication title -
british journal of haematology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.907
H-Index - 186
eISSN - 1365-2141
pISSN - 0007-1048
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2141.1979.tb05889.x
Subject(s) - fragmentation (computing) , erythrocyte membrane , biology , biophysics , membrane , chemistry , biochemistry , ecology
S ummary . Erythrocytes from neonates with elliptocytosis were studied for their pattern of heat‐induced fragmentation. Membrane alterations began at 44°C. There was a gradual progression in shape changes as the temperature was increased to 47°C, at which point frank fragmentation occurred. Normal erythrocytes show no morphologic changes until the critical temperature of fragmentation, 49°C is reached. Heat studies were repeated a few months later, at a time when the patients' erythrocyte morphology had become more typical of elliptocytosis. Morphologic changes occurred abruptly at 48°C with complete fragmentation. Increased thermal sensitivity of the red cell membrane has previously been demonstrated for pyropoikilocytes, and these studies suggest that some cases of elliptocytosis may be mild expressions of a similar membrane defect.