Abstract
We evaluated the optimal condition for the assay of volatile hydrocarbons produced by oxidation of red blood cells in vitro by hydrogen peroxide. As a result, we chose the condition of 4.3% packed cell volume (PCV), 37.8mM hydrogen peroxide and for inhibition of catalase activity, 42.8mM sodium azide in final concentration.
Sources of the volatile hydrocarbons were suggested to be red blood cell membranes for n-pentane, but unclear for other volatile hydrocarbons such as n-propane and n-butane.
During aging of red blood cells, production of ethane and n-pentane, which were volatile hydrocarbons specifically produced from red blood cell membranes, did not change signifi-cantly, while that of other uncharacterized hydrocarbons increased. Therefore, it was suggested that there was no change with cell aging in the hydrocarbon production from red blood cell membranes.
