Estradiol transport by human red cells

¹ Chemical Laboratory of the Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital Research Institute, Santa Barbara, California

Experiments were designed to establish whether the estrogens penetrate the membrane of the red cells or are transported by it. By hemolyzing red cells and reconditioning the ghosts, it was shown that the enzyme, estronase, follows the hemoglobin and therefore indicates that estrone and estradiol penetrate the membrane. Distribution of estradiol between intact red cells or reconditioned ghosts and ghost-free hemolysates of red cells or crystallized hemoglobin solution was proportional to the hemoglobin content when a correction for water solubility was made. Since the ghosts had the attraction of the intact cell, penetration is required to account for the distribution in the intact cell. Red cell ghost concentrates when prepared under certain conditions were found to have considerable affinity for estradiol, but on the basis of their low concentration per cell could account for only a fraction of the red cell affinity instrumental for estrogen orientation, even if their behavior did not reflect a change in properties during preparation. Ghosts prepared under the mildest conditions failed to demonstrate this affinity for estradiol.