Biomaterial Database

Comparison of membrane structure, osmotic fragility, and morphology of multiple sclerosis and normal erythrocytes. 1982

J Kurantsin-Mills, and N Samji, and M A Moscarello, and J M Boggs

Erythrocyte membranes from multiple sclerosis (MS) patients and normal individuals were studied by electron spin resonance spectroscopy, osmotic fragility tests, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and fatty acid analysis of membrane lipids. There was no significant difference in the membrane fluidity between MS and normal erythrocytes using fatty acid spin labels with the nitroxide moiety on carbons 5, 12, or 16 from the carboxyl group. Linoleic acid, which has been reported to decrease the absolute electrophoretic mobility of only MS erythrocytes, increased the fluidity of MS and normal erythrocyte membranes to a similar extent. The osmotic fragility of MS erythrocytes obtained from outpatients was similar to normal control cells but the osmotic fragility of erythrocytes obtained from hospitalized MS patients was greater than normal. Scanning electron microscopy of MS erythrocytes revealed no gross abnormalities. Cells incubated with linoleic acid had transformed from discocytes into sphero-echinocytes with prominent membrane surface indentations but MS and normal erythrocytes appeared identical. Of the fatty acid content of the total lipid extract, erythrocytes from most, but not all, MS hospitalized patients and some patients with other demyelinating diseases had relatively less (P less than .001) 18:2 than the normal cells. These results indicate that at least some of the abnormalities reported in MS erythrocytes may only be found in hospitalized patients and may be due to other complications of the disease. They also indicate that the reported abnormal effects of linoleic acid on the electrophoretic mobility of MS erythrocytes may be caused by some other mechanism than an effect on the fluidity of the bilayer.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008560	Membrane Fluidity	The motion of phospholipid molecules within the lipid bilayer, dependent on the classes of phospholipids present, their fatty acid composition and degree of unsaturation of the acyl chains, the cholesterol concentration, and temperature.	Bilayer Fluidity,Bilayer Fluidities,Fluidities, Bilayer,Fluidities, Membrane,Fluidity, Bilayer,Fluidity, Membrane,Membrane Fluidities
D008855	Microscopy, Electron, Scanning	Microscopy in which the object is examined directly by an electron beam scanning the specimen point-by-point. The image is constructed by detecting the products of specimen interactions that are projected above the plane of the sample, such as backscattered electrons. Although SCANNING TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY also scans the specimen point by point with the electron beam, the image is constructed by detecting the electrons, or their interaction products that are transmitted through the sample plane, so that is a form of TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY.	Scanning Electron Microscopy,Electron Scanning Microscopy,Electron Microscopies, Scanning,Electron Microscopy, Scanning,Electron Scanning Microscopies,Microscopies, Electron Scanning,Microscopies, Scanning Electron,Microscopy, Electron Scanning,Microscopy, Scanning Electron,Scanning Electron Microscopies,Scanning Microscopies, Electron,Scanning Microscopy, Electron
D009103	Multiple Sclerosis	An autoimmune disorder mainly affecting young adults and characterized by destruction of myelin in the central nervous system. Pathologic findings include multiple sharply demarcated areas of demyelination throughout the white matter of the central nervous system. Clinical manifestations include visual loss, extra-ocular movement disorders, paresthesias, loss of sensation, weakness, dysarthria, spasticity, ataxia, and bladder dysfunction. The usual pattern is one of recurrent attacks followed by partial recovery (see MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS, RELAPSING-REMITTING), but acute fulminating and chronic progressive forms (see MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS, CHRONIC PROGRESSIVE) also occur. (Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, p903)	MS (Multiple Sclerosis),Multiple Sclerosis, Acute Fulminating,Sclerosis, Disseminated,Disseminated Sclerosis,Sclerosis, Multiple
D009996	Osmotic Fragility	RED BLOOD CELL sensitivity to change in OSMOTIC PRESSURE. When exposed to a hypotonic concentration of sodium in a solution, red cells take in more water, swell until the capacity of the cell membrane is exceeded, and burst.	Saline Fragility,Fragility, Osmotic,Fragility, Saline
D004578	Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy	A technique applicable to the wide variety of substances which exhibit paramagnetism because of the magnetic moments of unpaired electrons. The spectra are useful for detection and identification, for determination of electron structure, for study of interactions between molecules, and for measurement of nuclear spins and moments. (From McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science and Technology, 7th edition) Electron nuclear double resonance (ENDOR) spectroscopy is a variant of the technique which can give enhanced resolution. Electron spin resonance analysis can now be used in vivo, including imaging applications such as MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING.	ENDOR,Electron Nuclear Double Resonance,Electron Paramagnetic Resonance,Paramagnetic Resonance,Electron Spin Resonance,Paramagnetic Resonance, Electron,Resonance, Electron Paramagnetic,Resonance, Electron Spin,Resonance, Paramagnetic
D004910	Erythrocyte Membrane	The semi-permeable outer structure of a red blood cell. It is known as a red cell 'ghost' after HEMOLYSIS.	Erythrocyte Ghost,Red Cell Cytoskeleton,Red Cell Ghost,Erythrocyte Cytoskeleton,Cytoskeleton, Erythrocyte,Cytoskeleton, Red Cell,Erythrocyte Cytoskeletons,Erythrocyte Ghosts,Erythrocyte Membranes,Ghost, Erythrocyte,Ghost, Red Cell,Membrane, Erythrocyte,Red Cell Cytoskeletons,Red Cell Ghosts
D004912	Erythrocytes	Red blood cells. Mature erythrocytes are non-nucleated, biconcave disks containing HEMOGLOBIN whose function is to transport OXYGEN.	Blood Cells, Red,Blood Corpuscles, Red,Red Blood Cells,Red Blood Corpuscles,Blood Cell, Red,Blood Corpuscle, Red,Erythrocyte,Red Blood Cell,Red Blood Corpuscle
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man