SURVIVAL OF LYOPHILIZED AND RECONSTITUTED HUMAN RED-BLOOD-CELLS IN-VIVO

To assess the viability of human red blood cells that have been lyophi lized and reconstituted to the hydrated state, we phlebotomized a unit of whole blood from six healthy male volunteers. Their packed red blo od cells were lyophilized at -40 degrees C and stored at 4 degrees C. Upon rehydration, recovery of erythrocytes was 85.2 +/- 2.79%. Aliquot s of 20 ml were labeled with Cr-51 and re-infused into the original do nors for red cell survival studies. The red cells retained ABO and Rh identity upon dehydration. There were no adverse clinical affects of r e-infusion. The half time of Cr-51 disappearance from the circulation was 31 +/- 8.19 days, and there was no evidence of significant splenic sequestration on the day of reinfusion. Red cell indices of the rehyd rated erythrocytes were normal, oxyhemoglobin content was 98.58 +/- 1. 46%, and P-50 was 27.25 +/- 1.84 mmHg. Although deformability was slig htly decreased, the osmotic fragility and filterability of the red cel ls were normal. These data demonstrate that human erythrocytes can be lyophilized and reconstituted to the hydrated state And survive normal ly in the circulation. Metabolic, osmotic, hemotological and rheologic al function remains intact.