Morphologically Homogeneous Red Blood Cells Present a Heterogeneous Response to Hormonal Stimulation

Blood is one of the most fundamental components of almost any biological organism. Because of this, the cells that make up blood -red blood cells (RBCs) - have been one of the most widely studied cells in the human body. This research into red blood cells has helped shed light on some of the more complex components of cell biology, and this has opened the door for great advancements in the field of medicine. One particularly interesting aspect of RBCs is that they are generally homogenous in terms of structure and chemical makeup. The only variations that really exist are the cell's hemoglobin F content, volume, shape, and peripheral tissue oxygenation. Any differentiation that goes beyond this is usually because something is wrong, and is a key indicator of blood diseases such as sickle cell anemia, hematuria, and cardiovascular disease. In general, the primary role of RBCs is to transport oxygen, but under low-flow conditions or stasis, RBC suspensions have shown to aggregate. This aggregation has been linked to the exposure of the cell to lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), which is released from fibroblasts, adipocytes, and cancer cells. Understanding how RBCs aggregate as a result of contact with LPA is much less understood, though, and this was the focus of a study conducted by Wang et al. from Saarland University in Germany.

The research team was interested in learning how RBCs responded to LPA on the cellular level. Traditionally, LPA was thought to activate a non-selective cation channel in the membrane of the RBC, but recent findings suggest the involvement of a g-protein-coupled mediated process. To find out what is behind this process, Wang and his team of researchers exposed RBCs to LBA and monitored a variety of indicators, such as Ca²⁺ and acetylcholinesterase (AchE), which is known to be a marker of membrane alteration and RBC aging. To monitor AChE, the research team used the Amplite Colorimetric Acetylcholinesterase Assay Kit. This kit uses DTNB to quantify the thiolcholine produced from the hydrolysis of acetylthiolcholine by AChE, and reflects AChE levels by producing an intense fluorescent glow, which is easy to read and allows for obtaining reliable results.

The results of this study showed that individual RBCs react differently to exposure to LBA and that this differentiation is caused by a variety of factors. Of these, the age of the cell seems to be one of the more significant determinants. This helps to gain a much deeper understanding of cell signaling and will prove to be essential for further research regarding the treatment of blood-related pathologies. To be able to attain to this level of analysis, the research team needed to carefully monitor and record the activity of a variety of different substances. The accurate results provided by the Amplite Colorimetric Acetylcholinesterase Assay Kit are generated by the clear and bright readings the assay kit gives. From studies like these, researchers are able to get a better understanding of RBC response to LPA, which helps advance the field of cellular biology and makes the development of disease treatments that much more viable.

References

---

1. Wang, Jue, et al. "Morphologically homogeneous red blood cells present a heterogeneous response to hormonal stimulation." PloS one 8.6 (2013): e67697.