Immobilization of erythrocytes by radiation polymerization of glass-forming monomers at low temperatures

The immobilization of erythrocyte as the whole cell without hemolysis was studied. It found that erythrocyte could be treated and immobilized stably by radiation polymerization of specific monomers having high viscous and long oxyethylene units chain such as methoxypolyethyleneglycol methacrylate (M-23G) and polyethyleneglycol dimethacrylate (14G). Irradiation dose without hemolysis was limited less than 1 X 10(5) r and a comonomer system consisting of M-23 G-14G, 1:1 and small quantity of glutaraldehyde (GA) was the optimum carrier composition. The functional properties of the immobilized erythrocyte was also investigated. It was found that the immobilized cell could be carried out carbon monoxide-oxygen gas exchange effectively and reversibly so as in the intact cell. The immobilized erythrocyte also showed the catalase activity just as in the intact cell. The stability of erythrocyte increased greatly by the immobilization for standing at low and room temperatures and hardly hemolyzed in non-isotonic medium such as pure water. It was observed in scanning electron microscope that the immobilized erythrocyte had a hollow disk shape same as in intact cell and covered with a thin polymer layer.