My Passion and Passages with Red Blood Cells

Abstract

This article mainly presents, in sequential panels of time, an overview of my professional involvements and laboratory experiences. I became smitten with red blood cells early on, and this passion remains with me to this day. I highlight certain studies, together with those who performed the work, recognizing that it was necessary to limit the details and the topics chosen for discussion. I am uncertain of the interest a personal account has for others, but at least it's here for the record.

Erythrocyte metabolism

“…We designed the map in Canva. Biochemical pathways and reactions were collected from the following references: glycolysis 70–73,80–90 ; pentose phosphate pathway 70–72,80–83,85,87–89,91,92 ; redox metabolism 24,71,73,81,82,86,87,93–110 ; oxygen loading and unloading 71,87,90,104,111–114 ; purine and nucleoside metabolism 72,81,89,99,115–122 ; and pumps and transporters 123–138 . 1,3‐BPG, 1,3‐bisphosphoclycerate; 2,3‐BPG, 2,3‐bisphosphoclycerate; 2‐PG, 2‐phosphoglycerate; 3‐PG, 3‐phosphoglycerate; 5’‐NT, 5′‐nucleotidase; 6‐PG, 6‐phosphogluconate; 6‐PGD, 6‐phosphogluconate dehydrogenase; 6‐PGL, 6‐phosphogluconolactone; acyl‐CoA, acyl‐coenzyme A; ADA, adenosine deaminase; ADE, adenine; ADO, adenosine; AdoK, adenosine kinase; ADP, adenosine diphosphate; AK, adenylate kinase; Ala, alanine; AlaTase, alanine aminotransferase; ALDO, aldolase; AMP, adenosine monophosphate; AMPD, adenosine monophosphate deaminase; APRTase, adenine phosphoribosyltransferase; AQP1, aquaporin; Aqueous, aqueous molecule; Aqueous • , aqueous radical; ATP, adenosine triphosphate; ATPase, adenosine triphosphatase; Band3, band 3 anion transport protein; BPGM, bisphosphoglycerate mutase; BPGP, bisphosphoglycerate phosphatase; CA, carbonic anhydrase; Ca 2+ , calcium; Ca 2+ pump, calcium pump; Cat, catalase; Cl − , chloride ion; CO 2 , carbon dioxide; COHbFe 2+ , carboxyhaemoglobin; CPT1, carnitine palmitotransferase 1; Cth, cystathionine; Cys, cysteine; cyt‐b5R, cytochrome‐b5 reductase; cyt‐b ox , cytochrome‐b5 oxidized; cyt‐b red , cytochrome‐b5 reduced; DHAP, dihydroxyacetone phosphate; dSAM, decarboxylated S‐adenosyl‐methionine; ENO, enolase; eNOS, endothelial nitric oxide synthases; Ery4P, erythrose‐4‐phosphate; F1,6P, fructose‐1,6‐bisphosphate; F6P, fructose‐6‐phosphate; FADS, fatty acid desaturases; Fe 2+ , ferrous iron; Fe 3+ , ferric iron; Fru, fructose; G6P, glucose‐6‐phosphate; G6PD, glucose‐6‐phosphate dehydrogenase; Gal, galactose; Gal1P, galactose‐1‐phosphate; GAP, glyceraldehyde‐3‐phosphate; GAPDH, glyceraldehyde‐3‐phosphate dehydrogenase; GCL, glutamate–cysteine ligase; GDP, guanosine diphosphate; G...…”

Engineered red blood cells as therapeutic agents

“…When placed into a hypotonic solution RBC swell increasing their volume and pores, transiently, open on the erythrocyte membranes allowing the exchange of macromolecules. As originally investigated by Joe Hoffman 4 the pores close with an active process as the saline solution is brought to physiological values and the entrapped agents remain confined within the erythrocytes. This procedure can now be performed by dedicated medical devices that allow to process small volumes of autologous blood (50 mL) at the bedsise or in large volumes of allogenic donations (400 mL) in a centralized facility.…”