Abstract
We have examined the influence of Ca2+-ions and 2,3-diphosphoglycerate (2,3-DPG) on the solubility of deoxygenated human hemoglobin A. We could demonstrate that Ca2+ - normally present with 0.2 µmol in the erythrocyte - reduces solubility by 13 % already in a concentration of 50 µmol. This decrease in solubility by Ca2+ could be compensated by 2,3-DPG in physiological ranges from 15–20 µmol/g hemoglobin, and there is no synergistic behaviour of these two substances. A model is presented that accounts for the intraerythrocytic Ca2+/organic phosphate equilibrium as a determining factor of deoxyhemoglobin leading to an altered deformability of erythrocytes.
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