Crosslinking of membrane proteins during erythrocyte ageing

Membrane proteins of bovine erythrocytes were crosslinked with cupric di(1,10-phenanthroline) and analysed by one-dimensional and two-dimensional SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. An increase in crosslinking of the Band 3 protein and of spectrin was found with increasing erythrocyte age suggesting an increased aggregation of main membrane proteins in aged erythrocytes.