Comparative Study of the Resistance of Different Erythrocytes to Haemolysis by the Surfactant Lysine Laurate

It is well known that surfactants induce haemolysis when they are put in contact with erythrocytes at a given concentration. Nevertheless, the haemolytic response of the erythrocytes depends on the animal species. The phospholipid composition and osmotic resistance of erythrocytes from different species vary widely. The lipid composition of erythrocyte membrane may influence the susceptibility to damage by different compounds. In this study we have evaluated the haemolysis of erythrocytes from different species induced by lysine laurate, an anionic surfactant. Variations in the mean corpuscular volume of the erythrocytes seem to be important in the haemolytic effect of this surfactant.