Fragility of Human Erythrocytes to Certain Salts. ∗

Abstract

Hober 1 determined that the potassium ion had a greater hemolytic effect than the sodium ion by placing red cells in tubes of hypotonic solutions of these salts and noting the time of appearance of hemolysis in the supernatant fluid. Hamburger 2 proved that the sodium and potassium cations could pass in and out of red cells. Ashby 3 incubated mammalian bloods of different species and determined that blood in which the red cells contained excess of potassium showed greater susceptibility to hemolysis by potassium than by sodium salts, and blood in which the red cells contained excess of sodium showed greater susceptibility to hemolysis by sodium than by potassium salts, and attributed these effects to action on the cell membrane and colloids of the cell rather than to osmosis. He also showed that the resistance of red cells was increased by standing, by injury of the cells, by increase of the fluid whether isotonic saline or serum, etc., and by carbon dioxide.

Hober and Ashby allowed the solutions to stand until hemolysis occurred. Just how valuable such a procedure might be with reference to the red cell in vivo is questioned by the author. There are surely physico-chemical changes in the cell on standing and this changed cell can hardly be compared with the red cell in the living body from a physiological point of view. The author has, therefore, added the blood cells collected by syringe from the patient directly to tubes containing varying concentrations of the salts; sodium chloride, potassium chloride, calcium chloride and magnesium chloride, and has observed the changes.