Properties of microcytic caprine carrier red blood cells: their preparation and in vivo survival.

Dialysis encapsulation was used to prepare caprine-carrier RBC. Optimal conditions for encapsulation are described in which 23% of added [14C]sucrose was entrapped. Carrier RBC were stable in vitro releasing only 5% of entrapped substance in 24 hour. Injected-carrier RBC circulated with a 47-day half-life. Although markedly smaller in size (10 fl vs 15 fl), caprine-carrier RBC were morphologically identical to normal RBC.