Abstract
CALCIUM ions are important in almost all membrane fusion systems1–2. Murayama and Okada3 showed that Sendai virus-induced fusion of Ehrlich ascites cells required Ca2+. When Ehrlich ascites cells were treated with Sendai virus in the presence of EDTA, cells agglutinated and lysed but did not fuse3,4. Similarly, Ca2+ was required for the fusion of erythrocytes stimulated by chemicals such as lysolecithin5 or glyceryl monooleate6. Ca2+ plus the ionosphere A23187 (ref. 7) or Ca2+ at high pH (ref. 8) promoted the fusion of chicken erythrocytes. Fusion of phosphatidylserine-rich liposomes was absolutely dependent on the presence of Ca2+9. We describe here the fusion of human erythrocyte ghosts promoted by the combined action of Ca2+ and phosphate buffer. Human erythrocyte ghosts, because they lack cytoplasm and are easily filled with small or large molecules10,11 are useful for the investigation of membrane fusion.
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ZAKAI, N., KULKA, R. & LOYTER, A. Fusion of human erythrocyte ghosts promoted by the combined action of calcium and phosphate ions. Nature 263, 696–699 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1038/263696a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/263696a0
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