Experimental study demonstrates nondestructive intracellular pH monitoring in erythrocytes using phosphorus-31 magnetic resonance, indicating a practical method to assess cell status.
Key Points
To establish a nondestructive technique for monitoring intracellular conditions, specifically pH, in erythrocytes using phosphorus-31 magnetic resonance spectroscopy.
Observed phosphorus-31 magnetic resonance signals from intracellular phosphate compounds in erythrocytes.
Measured chemical shifts of intracellular inorganic phosphate relative to serum phosphate and evaluated chemical shift positions and differences for 2,3-diphosphoglycerate in carbon monoxide-liganded erythrocytes.
The chemical shift of intracellular inorganic phosphate relative to serum phosphate reliably tracked intracellular pH changes.
Differences between the chemical shifts of 2,3-diphosphoglycerate provided a robust, nondestructive metric for measuring internal erythrocyte pH.