Biomaterial Database

A freeze-etch electron microscopic study of liquid propane jet-frozen human erythrocyte membranes. 1981

T Espevik, and A Elgsaeter

Freeze-etch electron micrographs of haemolysing erythrocytes and isolated erythrocyte membranes frozen using a liquid propane jet-freezer reveal fracture faces very different from those seen after conventional freezing by dipping the specimens into partly solidified Freon 22. Instead of the rather smooth extracellular fracture faces found after conventional specimen freezing, extracellular fracture faces exhibiting large amounts of fibre-like structures are seen after liquid propane jet-freezing of these specimens. No such structures were found in normal red blood cells. When isolated erythrocyte membranes are frozen under conditions favouring spectrin-actin release, freeze-etch micrographs reveal an apparent continuity between the fibre-like structures on the extracellular fracture face and the long fibre-like structures which extent from the protoplasmic surface of the erythrocyte membrane. These results suggest that liquid propane jet-freezing is capable of revealing a structural difference between the membrane of haemolysing and nonhaemolysed red blood cells, and that this difference is related to the fibrous, peripheral proteins of the membrane.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008854	Microscopy, Electron	Microscopy using an electron beam, instead of light, to visualize the sample, thereby allowing much greater magnification. The interactions of ELECTRONS with specimens are used to provide information about the fine structure of that specimen. In TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY the reactions of the electrons that are transmitted through the specimen are imaged. In SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY an electron beam falls at a non-normal angle on the specimen and the image is derived from the reactions occurring above the plane of the specimen.	Electron Microscopy
D011407	Propane	A three carbon alkane with the formula H3CCH2CH3.
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
D005613	Freeze Etching	A replica technique in which cells are frozen to a very low temperature and cracked with a knife blade to expose the interior surfaces of the cells or cell membranes. The cracked cell surfaces are then freeze-dried to expose their constituents. The surfaces are now ready for shadowing to be viewed using an electron microscope. This method differs from freeze-fracturing in that no cryoprotectant is used and, thus, allows for the sublimation of water during the freeze-drying process to etch the surfaces.	Etching, Freeze
D005615	Freezing	Liquids transforming into solids by the removal of heat.	Melting
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man