Comparison of electrophoretic mobility and membrane sialic acid content of erythrocytes from adult and umbilical cord blood.

Determinations of cell electrophoretic mobility at low ionic strength and of ghost sialic acid content show that erythrocytes from umbilical cord blood and from adult donors are identical in these two glycoprotein-related properties. Using a streak deflection electrophoresis in 16.5 mM Tris-acetic acid buffer, pH 7.4, no increased streak width indicating electrophoretic heterogeneity could be detected when mixed suspensions of adult and umbilical cord blood erythrocytes were compared with suspensions of adult cells alone. Sialic acid content of 100 nmol/mg protein were obtained for both populations of cells.