Comparative NMR studies of diffusional water permeability of red blood cells from different species. X. Camel (Camelus dromedarius) and alpaca (Lama pacos)

Light and Scanning Electron Microscopy of Red Blood Cells From Humans and Animal Species Providing Insights into Molecular Cell Biology

We reviewed the many discoveries in cell biology, made since the 17^th century, which have been based on red blood cells (RBCs). The advances in molecular and structural biology in the past 40 years have enabled the discovery with these cells, most notably, of the first water channel protein (WCP) called today aquaporin1 (AQP1). The main aim of our work reviewed was to examine by light and electron microscopy a very wide range of RBCs from reptiles, birds, monotremes, marsupials and placentals, in order to estimate from these images the RBC cell volume and surface area. The diffusional water permeability of the RBC membrane from these species has further been measured with a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy technique. The significance of the observed permeability of RBCs to water and possible influences on the whole body are discussed.

Morphology and water permeability of red blood cells from green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas)

The morphology and diffusional water permeability (P d) of red blood cells (RBCs) from green sea turtle (GST) (Chelonia mydas) are presented for the first time. The RBCs had an ellipsoidal shape with full-axis lengths (diameters): D = 14.4 μm; d = 10.2 μm; h = 2.8 μm. The values of P d (cm s(-1)) were 5.1 × 10(-3) at 15 °C, 5.7 × 10(-3) at 20 °C, 6.3 × 10(-3) at 25 °C, 6.8 × 10(-3) at 30 °C, and 7.9 × 10(-3) at 37 °C (i.e., significantly higher than in human RBCs in which it was measured to be 4.2 × 10(-3) at 25 °C, 5.0 × 10(-3) at 30 °C, and 6.2 × 10(-3) at 37 °C). There was a lack of inhibition of P d of GST RBCs by p-chloromercuribenzoate (PCMB), a well-known inhibitor of the RBC water channel proteins (WCPs). The activation energy of water diffusion (E a,d) in GST RBCs was 15.0 ± 1.6 kJ mol(-1) which is lower than the E a,d for human RBCs (~25 kJ mol(-1)). These results indicate that in the membrane of GST RBCs, there were no WCPs that were inhibited by the mercurial reagent, while the lipid bilayer of this membrane is unusually permeable to water. This is likely to be a phylogenetically old trait, like that found in amphibians and even the later birds, all of which have nucleated erythrocytes; and it is also likely to be a result of the animal's adaptation to a herbivorous diet (algae and seagrasses).

Comparative studies of water permeability of red blood cells from humans and over 30 animal species: an overview of 20 years of collaboration with Philip Kuchel

NMR measurements of the diffusional permeability of the human adult red blood cell (RBC) membrane to water (P(d)) and of the activation energy (E(a,d)) of the process furnished values of P(d) ~ 4 × 10(-3) cm/s at 25 °C and ~6.1 × 10(-3) cm/s at 37 °C, and E(a,d) ~ 26 kJ/mol. Comparative NMR measurements for other species showed: (1) monotremes (echidna and platypus), chicken, little penguin, and saltwater crocodile have the lowest P(d) values; (2) sheep, cow, and elephant have P(d) values lower than human P(d) values; (3) cat, horse, alpaca, and camel have P(d) values close to those of humans; (4) guinea pig, dog, dingo, agile wallaby, red-necked wallaby, Eastern grey kangaroo, and red kangaroo have P(d) values higher than those of humans; (5) mouse, rat, rabbit, and "small and medium size" marsupials have the highest values of P(d) (>8.0 × 10(-3) cm/s at 25 °C and >10.0 × 10(-3) cm/s at 37 °C). There are peculiarities of E(a,d) values for the RBCs from different species. The maximum inhibition of diffusional permeability of RBCs induced by incubation with p-chloromercuribenzene sulfonate varied between 0% (for the chicken and little penguin) to ~50% (for human, mouse, cat, sheep, horse, camel, and Indian elephant), and ~60-75% (for rat, guinea pig, rabbit, dog, alpaca, and all marsupials). These results indicate that no water channel proteins (WCPs) or aquaporins are present in the membrane of RBCs from monotremes (echidna, platypus), chicken, little penguin and saltwater crocodile whereas WCPs from the membranes of RBCs from marsupials have peculiarities.

Study of diffusion in erythrocyte suspension using internal magnetic field inhomogeneity

Transport of water and ions through cell membranes plays an important role in cell metabolism. We demonstrate a novel technique to measure water transport dynamics using erythrocyte suspensions as an example. This technique takes advantage of inhomogeneous internal magnetic field created by the magnetic susceptibility contrast between the erythrocytes and plasma. The decay of longitudinal magnetization due to diffusion in this internal field reveals multi-exponential behavior, with one component corresponding to the diffusive exchange of water across erythrocyte membrane. The membrane permeability is obtained from the exchange time constant and is in good agreement with the literature values. As compared to the other methods, this technique does not require strong gradients of magnetic field or contrast agents and, potentially, can be applied in vivo.

Water self-diffusion behavior in yeast cells studied by pulsed field gradient NMR

The water self-diffusion behavior in yeast cell water suspension was investigated by pulsed field gradient NMR techniques. Three types of water were detected, which differ according to the self-diffusion coefficients: bulk water, extracellular and intracellular water. Intracellular and extracellular water self-diffusion was restricted; the sizes of restriction regions were approximately 3 and 15-20 microm, respectively. The smallest restriction size was determined as inner cell size. This size and also cell permeability varied with the growth phase of yeast cell. Cell size increased, but permeability decreased with increasing growth time. The values of cell permeabilities P(1)(d) obtained from time dependence of water self-diffusion coefficient were in good agreement with the permeabilities obtained from the exchange rate constants P(1)(eff). The values of P(1)(eff) were 7 x 10(-6), 1.2 x 10(-6) and 1.6 x 10(-6) m/s, and P(1)(d) were 6.3 x 10(-6), 8.4 x 10(-7), 1.5 x 10(-6) m/s for yeast cells incubated for 9 h (exponential growth phase), 24 h (end of exponential growth phase), and 48 h (stationary growth phase), respectively.