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Lead effects on structural and functional cellular parameters in human red cells from a prenatal hematopoiesis stage
R E Serrani1, I A Gioia, J L Corchs
1Cátedra de Fisiología, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Santa Fe, Rosario, Argentina.
Abstract:
An attenuation (or reversion) of the prolytic effect of lead on neonatal red cells is observed in iso- or hypotonic low ionic strength media. This effect correlates neither with concomitant activation of K+ (Ca2+ or Pb2+) channels nor with volume reduction. Neonatal erythrocytes were used in this study owing to their greater cellular density, as compared with adult red cells, for the above mentioned channels. The attenuation-reversion effect would be mediated through lead interactions with the cytoskeleton, a structure that is the limiting factor for red cell lysis in low ionic strength media.