Membrane lipid peroxidation in erythrocytes of the newborn.

Fresh, untreated neonatal erythrocytes contained nearly two times the adult level of thiobarbituric acid-reactivity, an index of lipid peroxidation. In addition, both fluorescence and the phospholipid:MDA adduct were significantly increased in neonatal erythrocytes. This study suggests that neonatal erythrocytes undergo significant peroxidative membrane lipid damage in vivo.