Eric Ponder

RED CELL CYTOCHEMISTRY AND ARCHITECTURE

Some twenty-five years ago, discussion about red cell structure was confined to enquiries as to the chemical composition of the cell, as to whether i t has or has not a surface membrane, whether its interiqr is fluid or gel-like, and as to the validity of certain rather general theories regarding its biconcave discoidal shape. Conditions of greater complexity have been brought to light by investigations since that time, and it is now necessary to discuss, not only chemical composition and gross structure, but ultrastructure or molecular architecture, and the results of special molecular arrangements. From the standpoint of this publication on red cell production and destruction, the important thing is that we appreciate the nature of the object which is to be produced or destroyed. Since the object is complex, the processes involved in its production, and even the processes involved in its destruction, are probably also very complex. There are enormous gaps to be filled between the enumeration of the substances required to make up the red cell and an understanding of how these substances come to be arranged in the way in which they are, but we are still a t the stage of‘ collecting observations and cannot expect to see more than the outlines of the picture.

Viscosity changes in systems containing chicken red cell nuclei and bile salts.

Abstract The increase in viscosity observed in systems containing bile salts or soaps and chicken red cells arises from an interaction of the bile salt or soap with nuclear material, a new viscous substance, probably related to nucleic acid, being formed as a result of a linkage of the two components. The viscosity-concentration relations, which are described in detail, suggest that the new material forms a network throughout the system, this network having some of the regular features associated with lattice-like arrangements. The interaction of the bile salt and the nuclear material is so greatly reduced by the addition of either saponin or formol to the latter that, after such an addition, the viscosity increases can no longer be obtained.

Acceleration of Hemolysis in Relation to Chemical Structure. III. The C-10 Alcohols

Conclusion The accelerating power of 4 C-10 alcohols on saponin hemolysis is in the order of n-decanol> tetrahydro-geraniol>citronellol>geraniol, these differences corresponding to small structural differences in the accelerating molecule.