X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy studies of frozen erythrocyte membrane preparations

Phase separation in frozen erythrocyte membrane preparations

The reversible formation of a lipid-like phase in frozen preparations of erythrocyte membranes has been studied by X-ray diffraction and by electron microscopy of freeze-fracture replicas. The observations provide strong evidence for lateral migration or displacement at specific temperatures of intra-membrane particles. This creates large areas of particle-free membranes which fracture preferentially so as to dominate the freeze-fracture image.

An X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy study of the extraction of erythrocyte membranes with the bile salt, cholate

Studies by X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy of slowly frozen samples of control and cholate-extracted preparations of erythrocyte membranes have demonstrated changes in structural parameters which can readily be related to the extraction of cytoskeletal proteins. In the frozen state, these components appear to be condensed to about 10% of the total membrane thickness. The observations illustrate some of the advantages and limitations in the use of slowly frozen membrane preparations in studies of membrane structure.