THE FUSION OF ERYTHROCYTES BY TREATMENT WITH PROTEOLYTIC ENZYMES AND POLYETHYLENE GLYCOL

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Polyethylene glycol (PEG) has been utilized to induce homokaryocyte formation in avian and mammalian erythrocytes previously treated with proteolytic enzymes. PEG of molecular weight 6,000–7,500 was found superior to 1,500 and 20,000 MW PEG. Cells exposed to protease alone, prior to PEG treatment, fused to a high degree (60–95% multinucleated cells), whereas trypsin or pepsin treatment alone allowed very little fusion (2.5%). Trypsin lowered the effectiveness of protease when used in combination. Cells which were not treated with proteolytic enzymes agglutinated in the presence of PEG but did not fuse to a significant extent (0.01%). Fusion was also markedly dependent upon the rate at which PEG was eluted during the fusion process. Electron microscopy indicated that fusion began during the elution of PEG from the agglutinated cells.