Does ATP decrease exponentially during red cell aging?

The precise changes in adenosine triphosphate (ATP) during red cell aging have not been established. Studies of ATP content based on cell density, a presumptive index of red cell age, observations in anemic subjects in whom age-dependent hemeolysis may occur and studies of the loss of metabolic capability with aging, suggest that the reduction in red cell ATP may be a continuous process, approximating a negative expotential function. Several experimental approaches could be used to support or refute this hypothesis.