Electro-kinetic properties of cells in growth processes II. The size distribution and electrophoretic mobilities of the maturing rat red blood cell

The size distribution and electrophoretic mobility of red blood cell from the blood of new-born rats, 9–11-day-old, 28–30-day-old rats as well as young adult rats was examined. With increasing age, there is a decrease in cell volume and an increase in the electrophoretic mobility. Analyses of cell volume distribution curves indicate that the red blood cell population of the rat after birth is rapidly changing, new more mature type of cells replace the less mature ones. The significance of these results in respect to the maturation of reticulocytes and to their cell surface properties is discussed.