Enzymatic degradation of the red cell surface and its effect on Rouleaux formation

The two major determinants of rouleaux formation in a red cell suspension are the properties of the aggregant (its molecular form, concentration etc) and of the erythrocyte (its deformability, membrane properties, shape etc). While much is now known about the former, relatively little information is available on the latter, and particularly on the membrane factors that are important. One way of obtaining insight into this area is to degrade the membrane with various enzymes and observe their effects on rouleaux formation. This paper is intended as a short review of the field.