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Membrane skeleton and red blood cell vesiculation at low pH
M Bobrowska-Hägerstrand1, H Hägerstrand, A Iglic
1Department of Biology, Abo Akademi University, FIN-20520, Abo/Turku, Finland.
Biochimica Et Biophysica Acta
|May 30, 1998
Summary
Low pH causes red blood cell shape changes. Theoretical studies show skeleton aggregation at low pH transforms red blood cells from stomatocytic shapes to a parent cell with an underlaid skeleton and skeleton-free daughter vesicles.
Area of Science:
- Biophysics
- Cell Biology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Red blood cell (RBC) morphology is crucial for proper function.
- Changes in RBC shape can indicate disease states.
- The RBC membrane's mechanical properties are complex and influenced by pH.
Purpose of the Study:
- To theoretically investigate the shape transformation of red blood cells at low pH.
- To understand the role of membrane elastic energy in RBC shape changes.
- To elucidate the impact of skeleton aggregation on RBC morphology.
Main Methods:
- Theoretical modeling of red blood cell membrane elastic energy.
- Analysis of bending and stretching energies of the bilayer and skeleton.
- Inclusion of skeleton-bilayer interaction energy in the model.
Main Results:
- Low pH induces aggregation of the RBC skeleton.
- Skeleton aggregation drives a shape transformation from stomatocytic to a novel configuration.
- This new shape consists of a parent cell with a skeleton-underlaid bilayer and daughter vesicles lacking skeleton.
Conclusions:
- Skeleton aggregation at low pH is a key factor in red blood cell shape remodeling.
- The theoretical model successfully predicts RBC shape changes under acidic conditions.
- Understanding these transformations provides insights into RBC mechanics and potential disease mechanisms.