| Abstract: | Some membrane characteristics of normal and Rauscher leukemia virus (RLV)-infected mouse red blood cells (RBC) were compared, both with regard to total populations and young and old groups of cells. Osmotic fragility, density distribution of cells and agglutinability by poly--lysine (pLys), concanavalin A (ConA), phytohemagglutinin (PHA) and soybean agglutinin (SBA), were examined. RBC from RLV-infected mice were agglutinated at a higher rate and to a higher degree than normal mice RBC by pLys and by the lectins PHA and ConA. These RBC were generally osmotically more resistant and contained a young cell population of unusually high specific gravity. Comparison of RBC from RLV-infected mice with old RBC from normal mice showed some common membrane characteristics. Similarly to old RBC, RBC from RLV-infected mice have a high specific gravity and high agglutinability by pLys. However, they differ in that the RBC from RLV-infected mice are osmotically more resistant and are agglutinated by ConA; they are also agglutinated at a higher rate by PHA. |
