[Some aspects of structural alterations of erythrocyte membranes under the effect of uranyl chloride at low concentrations].

The influence of nanomolar concentrations of the uranyl ion on the parameters of some membrane structures of rodent erythrocytes (laboratory mice and tundra voles--classical objects of radioecological monitoring) was investigated in vitro. A high sensitivity of the tundra vole red blood cells to the uranyl influence was shown. This fact may be determined by the cross-species difference in the membrane structures of erythrocytes--the low sphingomyelin content in tundra voles. Investigation into the phospholipid composition of the erythrocytes incubated in vitro with uranyl ions demonstrates the absence of the membrane lipid component reactions "typical" for the cells circulating in blood and also the changes pointing to the initial stages of eryptosis. Latent alterations in the membrane structure of red blood cells of both species induced by a short time contact with uranyl ions were confirmed by the increase in their sensitivity to nonionic detergent Triton X-100 and indicate the changes in orderliness of the membrane lipid phase.