BODY IRON AND RED-CELL PHOSPHOLIPIDS, GLY CEROLS IN FEMALES

Red cell phospholipids and glycerols were measured in 18 normal by per ipheral blood hemoglobin, 19 iron deficient (latent deficiency) and in 20 hypoferric anemia females. Latent and manifest iron deficiency cau sed a pronounced elevation in the levels of glycerols, lysophosphatidy linosites, lysophosphatidylcholines, lysophosphatidylethanolamines, ph osphatidylinositediphosphates and a drop in the phosphatidylserines in erythrocytes. This provokes serious structural and functional alterat ions in erythrocytic membranes of iron deficient subjects.