The suppression of rapid local surface oscillations in human erythrocytes slows and weakens their adhesion to glass

: Rapid local oscillations of the erythrocyte surface with amplitude 200-300 nm are decreased by 10 times following addition of wheat germ agglutinin (10(-77) M). In this case the rate of erythrocyte adhesion to the cover glass is delayed approximately by 3-9 times. The total suppression of erythrocyte surface oscillations occurs in hypo-osmic solution or in a 0.01% solution of glutaraldehyde. It coincides with a two-fold decrease of erythrocyte adhesivity to the glass. It is suggested that the rapid erythrocyte surface oscillations may control the rate of cell adhesion to the substrate.