Retention of Potassium by Human Erythrocyte Ghosts

Abstract

WHEN ghosts prepared from human erythrocytes by lysis in water are washed in a saline medium, sodium and potassium ions are nearly uniformly distributed across the ghost membranes¹. In attempting to prepare ghosts with higher potassium and lower sodium concentrations than those of a saline medium we have found that incubation at 37° C. enables them partially to retain potassium and keep out sodium during subsequent washings and incubation.