Leaks were induced in @entity1 erythrocytes by brief (tau = 1-40 microseconds) discharges of high electric fields (3-20 kV/cm). Leak permeabilities were characterized by measuring (a) net and tracer fluxes of K+ and nonelectrolytes under protection of the cells against colloid-osmotic lysis, or (b) rates of colloid osmotic lysis in various salt solutions. The induced permeabilities are essentially stable for hours at 0-2 degrees C. Leak permeability P increases exponentially with the breakdown voltage ED according to a function of the general type P = bED. The basis b varies with the pulse length. A log-linear presentation reveals a biphasic linear relationship with a break at which the slope (= log b) decreases markedly. Elevated ionic strengths of the suspension medium during the electric discharge enhance leak formation. Leak permeability exhibits an apparent activation energy of 29 +/- 5 kJ/mol, indicative of diffusion through aqueous pathways. Somewhat differing equivalent pore radii emerge from measurements with different probes: 0.6-0.8 nm from tracer fluxes of @entity8371 (Mr = 3600, ED = 4-7 kV/cm) and 0.8-1.9 nm from osmotic protection studies with @entity968 (Mr = 200-3300, ED = 6-10 kV/cm). These numbers and the non-monoexponential increase of leak permeability with the field strength suggest a dual mechanism for the increase of leak permeability: an increase of the number of pores at low breakdown voltage and an additional increase of pore size at higher voltage. Estimated numbers of pores range from 1 to 10 per cell, which suggests dynamic fluctuating structural defects to be involved. The leaks discriminate small monovalent inorganic ions in the sequence of free solution mobility. @entity347 anions are discriminated according to size and charge. Common properties of these electrically induced defects and of chemically induced leaks ( @entity13131 , periodate, @entity2469 ) in the erythrocyte membrane suggest close similarities in the molecular organization.

Formation and properties of aqueous leaks induced in XXXX erythrocytes by electrical breakdown.

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['human'] @entity13131 :: ('MESH:D003958', 'Chemical') :: ['diamide'] @entity8371 :: ('CHEBI:26191', 'Chemical') :: ['polyols'] @entity2469 :: ('MESH:D020122', 'Chemical') :: ['t-butylhydroperoxide'] @entity968 :: ('MESH:D011092', 'Chemical') :: ['polyethylene glycols'] @entity347 :: ('MESH:D019965', 'Disease') :: ['Organic']
@entity1 :: (9606,Species) :: ['human']
