[The elimination mechanism of erythrocytes in vivo]

The erythrocytes exhibit an unusual cyto-architecture. Because the cytosol is without organelles, the erythrocytes are cells, which have got only one single organelle, i.e. the plasmalemma. It reacts extremely sensitively to environmental factors with changes of the membrane structures, especially with an expression of IgG-and lectin receptor sites. This takes place during in vivo ageing, after attack of hydrolytic enzymes and after alteration of the membrane skeleton. The membrane bound IgG mediates the endocytosis of the macrophages (primary elimination). The role of the lectin receptors is unclear. The cell trapping (secondary elimination) is restricted to cells with extremely decreased deformability.