ISSN:
1432-1017
Keywords:
Erythrocyte
;
interfacial instability
;
surface wave
;
polylysine
;
cell agglutination
;
cell adhesion, acrosome reaction
;
membrane fusion
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Biology
,
Physics
Notes:
Abstract Human erythrocytes have been exposed to poylysine of molecular weight range 4 to 220 kDa and concentration range 0.5 to 2,000 μ/ml at 37°C. Threshold concentrations for cell agglutination by the polycation have been determined for the samples of different molecular weight. Light and electron micrographs show that, in the erythrocyte agglutinates, cell-cell contact is generally made only at discrete, spatially periodic, regions which are distributed over a significant part of the cell surface. The average spacing between contact regions is 0.83 μm. The cell membrane has a wavy profile between contact regions. Agglutination occurs only in cell samples whose electrophoretic mobility is significantly altered by polylysine and, in agreement with a previous report, occurs even when the electrophoretic mobility reaches high positive values. The electrophoretic mobility data implies that agglutination requires some protrusion of polylysine from the cell glycocalyx. We discuss how a resulting net attractive intercellular force could act to destabilize the aqueous layer between two cells, allowing surface wave growth which results in spatially periodic contact regions. Examples of situations where cell and membrane contact might be explained by the general concept of interfacial instability are discussed.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00256532
