Transmembrane migration ('flip-flop') of cholesterol in erythrocyte membranes

After exchange with [14C]cholesterol-labelled plasma lipoproteins for 0.5-4h, erythrocytes were extracted with bile-salt solutions. The extracted cholesterol (mainly from the outside of the erythrocyte membrane) had the same specific radioactivity as the residual sterol. Thus cholesterol equilibrates rapidly (half-time less than 1 h) between the two sides of the membrane.