[Separation of cells of the erythrocyte series of birds and mammals by distribution in biphasic polyethylene glycol-dextran systems].

Experimental conditions for the partition, in dextran (Dx) polyethylene glycol (PEG) biphasic systems, of circulating red cells, reticulocytes and bone marrow cells from adult rats, as well as of erythrocytes from chicken embryos, young animals and adult chickens, have been studied. Once the partition coefficient (K) has been calculated under optimal experimental conditions, a counter-current distribution (CCD) apparatus has been used for the separation of cells in those populations, and the influence of different factors on the distribution of cells has been analyzed. An increase in the distribution efficiency of heterogeneous cells (those from the chicken and bone marrow of rats) is achieved by increasing the sedimentation time during the CCD procedure. The position of cells (previously labelled with 59Fe) along the rotor of the CCD apparatus is related to cells age, and thus allowed us to apply the CCD procedure for the assay of some enzyme activities in the separated cells.