Thermal transitions in rat erythrocyte ghosts.

Thermal transitions in rat erythrocyte ghosts have been studied by means of scanning microcalorimetry, intrinsic fluorescence, circular dichroism and infrared spectroscopy. Heating of the suspension of rat erythrocyte ghosts induced at least four thermodynamically irreversible transitions. Each of these transitions is believed to be due to a localized structural transition induced by thermal stress. The influence of pH, papain, phospholipase and other modifications on the thermal transitions in rat erythrocyte ghosts is demonstrated.