THE RATE OF RESPIRATION IN ERYTHROCYTES

¹ Washington Square College, New York University

1. Erythrocytes, both nucleated and non-nucleated, have been found to respire at rates comparable to that of other resting tissues (30 to 70 mm. ³/ grm./ hr.).

2. The rate of oxygen consumption of erythrocytes in the intact animal is probably higher than the rates found in these experiments.

3. A great but temporary increase in the oxygen consumption of erythrocytes invariably occurs upon hæmolysis by lytic agents.

4. The increase in the oxygen consumption of erythrocytes upon hæmolysis is due to an increase in metabolism accompanying a liberation of cell contents.

5. The material which respires is not limited to particles of microscopic size alone, for the filtrate obtained by passing a hæmolysed red-cell suspension through a Berkefeld filter still shows considerable respiratory activity.