[Human red cell cytoskeleton: structure, functions, abnormalities (author's transl)].

Associated with the red cell membrane cytoplasmic surface, the cytoskeleton is composed of a protein complex. This structure is a major element of membrane stability, shape and flexibility. Among the constitutive proteins, spectrin, red-cell actin and protein band 4.1 are quantitatively and structurally the most important. Some elements, relative to structure, stoichiometry and interactions between these proteins begin to be understood, specially owing to in vitro studies of reassembling cytoskeleton structures from purified constitutive elements. Besides, the nature of some interactions between the cytoskeleton and the red cell membrane has been specified. Nevertheless, it is not possible at the present time to establish an architectural picture of the cytoskeleton anatomy, and the factors actually regulating this structure physiology are not characterized. Understanding of the normal cytoskeleton will perhaps be helped by studies of abnormal models which cytoskeleton protein structure and function could be defective but this has not so far been formally demonstrated.