Studies on erythrocyte membranes of patients with Huntington's disease

Several red cell membrane properties and activities of membrane-bound enzymes were investigated in blood samples of patients with Huntington's disease. (Na(+)+K(+)) ATPase activity and cell deformability appeared to be normal, in contradiction to preceding reports from other laboratories. With other techniques sensitive to relatively small changes in membrane structure, no abnormalities were found in Huntington's disease red cell membranes. These investigations do not support the concept that a generalised membrane abnormality is present in Huntington's disease.