Deformability of red blood cells and human aging

The goal of the research was to study the mechanisms of the regulation of deformability of RBCs in various aged people. Morphological, biophysical and biochemical parameters of RBCs were studied in 50 practically healthy men - volunteers (divided in two age groups: adults (22-30 years old), and old people (75-89 years old)). It was conclude that excess number of large-sized matured (aged) erythrocytes is revealed in the blood of old people. RBC ageing is closely related to a progressive decrease in ADP/ATP ratio, which provides decrease in activity of Na(+)/K(+)-, Ca(2+)- ATP-ases and accumulation of intracellular Na(+) and Ca(2+) ions, which determine series of events as disorders of osmotic balance, cells' swelling, activating signal transduction system, which affects properties regulating RBC deformability and finally leads to the removal of old cells from the circulation by macrophages at spleen level. Received results show different reological characteristics of RBCs in various aged volunteers.