Osmotic Fragility and Spontaneous Lysis of Human Red Cells Preserved with Addition of Progesterone

Summary

Human red blood cells have been stored at 2°C in acid-citrate-dextrose solutions with and without addition of progesterone in physiological concentration. The osmotic fragility and the “late autohemolysis” or spontaneous lysis of the cells during storage have been determined at intervals up to 42 days. As the time of storage increases a progressive loss of osmotic resistance and an increase in the spontaneous hemolysis occur; however, for the cells preserved without progesterone the loss of osmotic resistance as well as the increase in the hemolysis are much higher than those observed for the red cells preserved with progesterone. It is possible that progesterone maintains the structural integrity of the cells by interacting with constituents of the red blood cell membrane.