Studies on the Attachment of the Bovine J Blood‐Group Substance at the Erythrocyte Membrane

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
By means of quantitative studies of the J activity of bovine intact erythrocytes and of erythrocyte lipids it is concluded that all of the J activity of J‐containing cells is due to a lipid and that all J substance is present on the erythrocyte surface and thus available for J antibody. No J substance seems to be buried in the depth of the membrane.During the process of hemolysis and subsequent washings bovine erythrocytes release a considerable portion of their membrane constituents in a “soluble” form. In order to prevent a disruption of ghosts a small amount of MgCl2 must be added to the hemolyzing mixture. We observed a loss of more than 30% of the original J activity along with about 15% of various stroma constituents unless MgCl2 had been added to the hemolyzing mixture.By treatment of bovine stroma (prepared in the presence of added MgCl2) with organic solvents of increasing polarity two lipid fractions, “loosely” and “strongly” bound lipids, can be obtained. The J activity was found only in the “strongly” bound fraction along with the majority of glycolipids.By treatment of bovine J‐cell ghosts with hypertonic saline part of the stroma constituents, including the J substance, is solubilized. It is concluded that the J substance, though secondarily absorbed from the serum onto the erythrocyte surface, is fully integrated to the other membrane constituents.

This publication has 22 references indexed in Scilit: