STUDIES OF METABOLISM AND MECHANISM OF DESTRUCTION OF THE FORMED ELEMENTS OF THE BLOOD

In human erythrocytes, the turnover rate of phosphatidic acid phosphorus is between .00005 and .003 m moles per hour per L of red blood cells. Incorporation of orthophosphate P32 into erythrocyte phosphatidic acid varies with the intracellular concentration of inorganic phosphorus and is independent of the presence or absence of adenosine triphosphates (ATP). Neither stimulation of active Na(+) transport nor the presence of ouabain effect incorporation of P32 into erythrocyte phosphatidic acid. The lipid composition of erythrocytes from patients with hereditary spherocytosis (H.S.) is normal. Hemoglobin free ghosts prepared from such erythrocytes contain all the lipid present in the intact cell. The same lipids as in normal cells are extractable with chloroform from such H. S. ghosts. The incorporation of P32 into ATP and glycolytic intermediaries and inorganic phosphorus in erythrocytes from patients with hereditary spherocytosis appears to be identical to that observed in normal red blood cells for periods of up to six hours. The lipid composition of elliptocytes appears to be abnormal. (Author)