Swine erythrocyte fractionation in Percoll density gradients

A method for the fractionation of swine erythrocytes according to age using Percoll is described. Centrifugation of erythrocytes on discontinuous Percoll gradients yielded four fractions of erythrocytes. To ascertain that each fraction of erythrocytes represented a different age group, the activities of hexokinase (Hx), aldolase, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPD), pyruvate kinase (PK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6PGD) were determined. These enzyme activities decreased successively from the top to the bottom fractions of the centrifuged column. Young erythrocytes obtained from the upper fractions of the centrifuged column exhibited a higher activity of each enzyme than that found in the heavier and older erythrocytes at the bottom fraction. This method is proposed as the most appropriate for use as an aid in distinguishing the presence of a young erythrocyte population.