Abstract
APPLICATION of an electric pulse, at field intensities of a few kV cm−1 and of duration in the µs range, to an isotonic suspension of erythrocytes is known to cause haemolysis of the red cells1–4. Studies from different laboratories suggest that the haemolysis is due to the field-induced transmembrane potential1,3,4. Our recent experiments5 indicate that once the transmembrane potential reaches a threshold of approximately 1 V, which corresponds to an applied field of 2.2 kV cm−1, the erythrocyte membrane becomes leaky to normally impermeant ions or molecules. The permeation of solutes leads to the swelling and eventual lysis of the red cells. This type of haemolysis is known as colloid osmotic haemolysis6,7. The voltage-induced permeability change is consistent with the formation of pores in the membrane. We show here that the size of these pores can be varied in a controlled manner, and that the leaky membrane can be resealed while the haemolysis is prevented. Foreign molecules have successfully been incorporated into the resealed, but otherwise intact, erythrocytes.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Sale, A. J. H. & Hamilton, W. A. Biochim. biophys. Acta 163, 37–43 (1968).
Tsong, T. Y. & Kingsley, E. J. biol. Chem. 250, 786–789 (1975).
Riemann, F., Zimmermann, U. & Pilwat, G. Biochim. biophys. Acta 394, 449–462 (1975).
Tsong, T. Y., Tsong, T. T., Kingsley, E. & Siliciano, R. Biophys. J. 16, 1091–1104 (1976).
Kinosita, K., Jr., & Tsong, T. Y. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 74, 1923–1927 (1977).
Wilbrandt, W. Pflüg. Arch. ges. Physiol. 245, 22–52 (1941).
Whittam, R. Transport and Diffusion in Red Blood Cells (Edward Arnold, London, 1964).
Goldstein, D. A. & Solomon, A. K. J. gen. Physiol. 44, 1–17 (1960).
Hoffman, J. F., Tosteson, D. C. & Whittam, R. Nature 185, 186–187 (1960).
McConaghey, P. D. & Maizels, M. J. Physiol., Lond. 162, 485–509 (1962).
Garrahan, P. J. & Rega, A. F. J. Physiol., Lond. 193, 459–466 (1967).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
KINOSITA, K., TSONG, T. Formation and resealing of pores of controlled sizes in human erythrocyte membrane. Nature 268, 438–441 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1038/268438a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/268438a0
This article is cited by
-
The Effect of Benzyl Alcohol on the Voltage-Current Characteristics of Tethered Lipid Bilayers
The Journal of Membrane Biology (2023)
-
Contraction of the rigor actomyosin complex drives bulk hemoglobin expulsion from hemolyzing erythrocytes
Biomechanics and Modeling in Mechanobiology (2023)
-
Intracellular delivery of trehalose renders mesenchymal stromal cells viable and immunomodulatory competent after cryopreservation
Cytotechnology (2021)
-
Short microsecond pulses achieve homogeneous electroporation of elongated biological cells irrespective of their orientation in electric field
Scientific Reports (2020)
-
Dynamics of Cell Death After Conventional IRE and H-FIRE Treatments
Annals of Biomedical Engineering (2020)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.