The effect of an experimental neoplastic disease on the flux of sodium and potassium ions across red blood cells and on the lipid composition of their membranes.

The erythrocytes from Morris Hepatoma 5123 bearing rats took up Na+ and K+ ions from the incubation medium and released Na+ into the extracellular space at lower rates than did erythrocytes from intact control rats. The lipid composition of erythrocytes membranes from the tumor-bearing rats differed from that of membranes from unaffected rats, showing increased contents of phospholipid phosphorus and a decreased content of cholesterol, resulting in decreased cholesterol:phospholipid molar ratios.