EFFECT OF INTRACELLULAR CALCIUM CONTENT ON ERYTHROCYTE DEFORMATION

To evaluate the effect of intracellular Ca content on erythrocyte defo rmation, the cells, varied for their Ca content, were exposed to shear stress. Under stationary shear stress, the deformation of Ca loaded c ells became impaired, whereas the impaired deformation was restored by calmodulin inhibitors. Under oscillatory shear stress, impaired frequ ency response was detected for both Ca loaded and Ca depleted cells. T hese data suggest that Ca-calmodulin complex participates in regulatin g erythrocyte deformation.