Phosphate Partition in the Erythrocytes of Normal Newborn Infants and Infants with Erythroblastosis Fetalis. II. Quantitative Paper Chromatography

Two-dimensional paper chromatography was used to partition the acid-soluble phosphates in the erythrocytes of normal newborn infants, infantswith erythroblastosis fetalis and adults.

The inorganic phosphate concentration was higher in the fresh red cells ofnormal and erythroblastotic infants and rose more during incubation for fourhours than in the cells of adults.

The amount of erythrocyte adenosine-5’-triphosphate in the adults exceededthe quantities found in the cells of the two groups of babies.

The 2,3-diphosphoglycerate level was greater in the erythrocytes of adultsand infants with erythroblastosis than it was in the normal infants and incubation for four hours resulted in a sharper decrease of this compound in cellsof the normal and erythroblastotic infants than in the adults.