Actin type and distribution in erythrocytes

Abstract

Erythrocytes transport oxygen from the lungs to the tissues. The excess surface area together with the elasticity of the erythrocyte cell membrane provides the flexibility needed to pass through the microvasculature where the oxygen exchange occurs. Although the architecture of the red cell and its membrane-associated cytoskeletal network is known in general, the factors that control the characteristic shape change during echinocyte formation are poorly understood. In this short report we show that in echinocytes a completely reorganized membrane cytoskeleton with a box-like structure of actin filaments prevailed indicating the importance of the actin cytoskeleton during echinocyte formation.