Bovine Erythrocyte Membrane Composition: Association with the FY and other Glycoprotein Systems

Abstract. The bovine blood group F, FV, and V phenotypic classes were found to differ greatly in amounts of red cell neuraminic acid, ghost material per ml packed red cells, phenol-extracted mucoid per ml red cells, and pronase-released mucoprotein per ml red cells. In all of these characteristics, F values were highest, FV intermediate, and V lowest. Phaseolus vulgaris nonagglutinators also had higher values for red cell neuraminic acid, ghost quantity per ml red cells, and phenol-extracted mucoid quantity per ml red cells than agglutinators. At least three, and possibly four, groups of animals with respect to neuraminic acid values were observed. Phenol-extracted mucoids from red cells of different FV phenotypes were nearly identical in carbohydrate composition, although mucoids from F cells may contain more glucose than those from FV or V. The F antigen was seen to be associated with a higher red cell N-acetyl neuraminic acid/total neuraminic acid ratio than the V antigen.