[Erytrocyte membrane change due to the chemical treatment studied with atomic force microscopy].

The influence of some selected pharmacological compounds on the structure of human erythrocytes (red blood cells, RBCs) has been studied by means of an atomic force microscopy (AFM). The imaging has been done both in the air environment on the fixed cells, and in the liquid (physiological conditions). It was shown that RBCs are very sensitive to osmotic changes in the solution. Increased NaCl concentration in the solution to a value higher than 0.9% leads to the characteristic changes of the erythrocyte from a discoid-like shape to a very irregular one, the so-called "echinocyte", with a lot of ledges. After exposition on nifedipin the modification of the erythrocyte surface morphology was observed. Based on the contact and non-contact AFMs study the consecutive stages of RBCs surface modification were observed. Scanning electron microscopy pictures of erythrocytes were presented for comparison.