EFFECT OF ADENINE ON VOLUME AND METABOLISM OF ERYTHROCYTES PRESERVED AT 37C.

Adenine 0.54mM in ACD whole blood was investigated for its ability to prevent or delay contraction or shrinkage of erythrocytes which occurs normally on prolonged incubation at 37C. Adenine was found to extend the glycolytic capacity of erythrocytes, to increase the cell life of adenine nucleotides, and to prevent shrinkage and K - Na exchange between the cells and plasma. The adenine effects were independent of the time of addition during the incubation until the capacity of the cells to synthesize ATP was lost. This implies that the effect of adenine on volume regulation of erythrocytes was by incorporation into a shape of volume maintaining entity, namely ATP. At 37C adenine in supplemented whole blood is completely converted to hypoxanthine. Kinetically, the time of maximum hypoxanthine synthesis coincided with the total loss of adenine nucleotides, a time at which contraction of cells and cation exchange was markedly accelerated. The incubation or preservation time for maximum hypoxanthine synthesis is the time limit of utility of adenine to erythrocytes. Hypoxanthine may thus be an indicator of the viable period of erythrocyte life in storage. Author