Hemolysis of Human Erythrocytes by Activated Oxygen Species

The hemolysis of human erythrocytes by irradiation at 254 nm has been studied. Neither superoxide radicals nor singlet oxygen play a significant rôle and it is likely that the major species involved are hydroxyl radicals and, indirectly, carbonate anion or formate radicals. Similarly, when erythrocytes are treated with a system commonly used as source of superoxide radicals (photoreduction of riboflavin) it has been demonstrated that O ‐ 2 does not participate in lysis, but that singlet oxygen (possibly with hydroxyl radicals) is a major oxygen species involved in destruction of the cell membrane.