The effects of lactose on human erythrocytes

✍ Scribed by George Kollmann; Bernard Shapiro; David Martin

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1971
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 348 KB
• Volume: 77
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0021-9541
• DOI: 10.1002/jcp.1040770210

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

Human erythrocytes suspended in isotonic lactose solution lost potassium and continued to lose potassium even when resuspended in isotonic sodium chloride. The same phenomenon was observed when the cells were suspended in an isotonic solution of the sodium salt of glutamate, a nonpenetrating anion. The presence of 5 mEq per liter of sodium chloride in the lactose or sodium glutamate suspensions greatly reduced the initial potassium loss and the potassium loss when the cells were resuspended in sodium chloride solution. Salts of nonpenetrating anions were less or not effective in blocking lactose damage. The results indicate that absence of penetrating anions in the suspending media is the initiating condition of lactose damage. Chloride and consequently potassium are lost from the erythrocyte. Changes in cellular ionic pattern and/or changes in the cell membrane result in a nontransient damage manifested by continued potassium loss by lactose‐treated cells resuspended in isotonic NaCl.