A EPC Approach to the Residual Water in Erythrocytes

A novel approach has been developed to determine the amount of residual water in human erythrocyte at room temperature by electronic particle counter. Nacl solutions of 13 osmolalities were prepared and the equilibrium cell volumes in which were measured one by one. The isotonic volume, Vo, was obtained under the isotonic condition. The mean RBC volumes of 5 donors at each osmolality were fitted according to Boyle van‘t Hoff relationship, and the osmotically inactive volume, Vb, of erythrocyte was then determined. The results show that Vb＝50% Vo. More importantly, the final cell volume with regard to the solution of the highest concentration found to be kept at about 0. 5 V0. The difference between these two volumes is unconspicuous. According to the published data that non-water volume of human erythrocyte is about 28.3% of its isotonic volume, residual water of human erythrocyte can be gained by subtracting Vdry from Vf, that is Vrw----21.7% Vo Then it was concluded that the residual water of human lays in 2 states, one is bound water, and the other is free water.

A EPC Approach to the Residual Water in Erythrocytes