ROLE OF NATURALLY-OCCURRING AUTOANTIBODIES IN SENESCENCE OF NORMAL AND ATP-DEPLETED GOAT ERYTHROCYTES

The possible role of autoantibodies in the senescence of goat erythroc ytes has been investigated. For this purpose goat gammaglobulin was pu rified to homogenity and antigoat gammaglobulin was raised in rabbits. Using the peroxidase labelled antigoat gammaglobulin it was possible to detect the presence of auto anti band-3 antibodies in goat sera. Th e goat erythrocytes were aged in vitro by ATP-depletion, which resulte d in appearence of a 52,000 mol. wt. polypeptide. The in vitro aged go at erythrocyte membrane bound substantial amounts of auto anti band-3 antibodies as visualized by immunoblots.