Determination of fluorescence polarization of membrane probes in intact erythrocytes. Possible scattering artifacts

The anisotropy of the fluorescence of diphenylhexatriene has been reported to be less in the membranes of intact erythrocytes than in erythrocyte ghost membranes or in membranes prepared from erythrocyte lipids. Evidence is presented that this may be an artifact due to the intense light scattering by the intact erythrocytes.