Form of red and white human erythrocyte ghosts and the ultrastructure of the internal perimembrane layer

The shape of red and white ghosts and the ultrastructure of the inner perimembrane layers have been studied. The cytoplasmic perimembrane layer is proved to have a fibrous lattice-like structure. The ghosts with a great amount of hemoglobin have ellipsoid or deformed circular shapes. White, hemoglobin-free ghosts have an irregular shape. After their resealing with a following incubation in an isoosmostic (300 imomole) succarose solution they assume a shape of narrow arcous profiles containing fibrous lattice-like material. The organization of this material is variable and depends on the degree of ghost hydration. It is proposed that this spectrin-like material may account for the stability of the long-range membrane organization.