Open AccessA Conductimetric Study of Erythrocyte Lysis by Lysolecithin and Linoleic Acid
Author(s) -
LAWRENCE Anthony J.,
MOORES Geoffrey R.,
STEELE James
Publication year - 1974
Publication title -
european journal of biochemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1432-1033
pISSN - 0014-2956
DOI - 10.1111/j.1432-1033.1974.tb03766.x
Subject(s) - lysis , chemistry , conductance , lytic cycle , biophysics , linoleic acid , membrane , permeability (electromagnetism) , efflux , chromatography , lamella (surface anatomy) , intracellular , biochemistry , fatty acid , materials science , biology , virus , mathematics , combinatorics , virology , composite material
A linear six‐channel conductivity apparatus has been developed for rapid and accurate kinetic measurements and used to investigate the net efflux of electrolyte from erythrocytes. The pre‐lytic conductance change and a change directly associated with lysis have been measured for cells treated with lysolecithin and linoleic acid. The pre‐lytic response to lysolecithin shows three distinct concentration‐dependent phases which correlate with reported changes in morphology. A mechanism is proposed whereby in low concentration lysolecithin is confined to the outer lamella of the membrane but above a threshold level it may translocate to the inner lamella giving a temporary state of high permeability. The response to linoleic acid is more complex, but basically shows constant or increasing permeability after the initial addition without the apparent formation of transient high permeability states. The kinetic form of the response is suitable for accurate kinetic measurements and the leakage response to unsaturated fatty acids is suggested as a method for examining changes in membrane structure.