Ultrastructure of Heinz Bodies in Human Erythrocytes as Visualized by the Freeze-Cleave Technique

摘要

Heinz bodies were produced in red blood cells by exposing the cells to monomethyl-hydrazine (MMH) in vitro in the presence of oxygen. The freeze-cleave technique showed that these Heinz bodies were coarse aggregates and strands of polymerized, oxidatively denatured hemoglobin. After 2 hours incubation in vitro, Heinz bodies had not bound to the plasma membranes of the red cells. The freeze-cleave appearance of the Heinz body can be mimicked by hemoglobin precipitated with mercuric chloride. In addition, mercuric chloride caused binding of the denatured hemoglobin to the red cell membrane. Occasionally, the binding of hemoglobin with mercuric chloride caused a dramatic clustering of intramembranous particles. These results indicate that Heinz body binding to the plasma membrane is not an immediate consequence of exposure of red blood cells to hydrazines and that the freeze-cleave technique is useful for study of Heinz body ultrastructure. (Author)