Erythrocyte insulin binding in ewes in late pregnancy.

Erythrocyte insulin binding in 8 ewes in late pregnancy was studied. The main purpose was to study the influence of pregnancy and starvation of the insulin binding capacity of the erythrocytes and compare it with the capacity of erythrocytes in newborn lambs. Results from the present study indicate that erythrocytes from pregnant ewes in late pregnancy have no insulin binding capacity and that the erythrocyte insulin receptors cannot be used as an index of different metabolic conditions.