Carbon balance studies with various substrates in human erythrocytes.

Carbon metabolism in erythrocytes has been found to be in balance with a variety of substrates studied. The contribution of the 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate pathway to carbon metabolism depends on the rates of carbon utilization and increases with increasing metabolic rates. Net decrease of the 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate level acts as a NAD regenerating system thus facilitating uptake of polyalcohols such as xylitol.