[ATP-content and shape of erythrocytes during preservation with adenine and nucleosides].

ACD blood with additions of adenine (A, 0.5 mM in blood), ademine + guanosine ((AG, 0.5 mM each) and adenine + guanosine + inosine (IAG, 0.5: 0.5: 18 mM) was stored for 6 weeks at 4 degrees C and the morphological changes in connection with the ATP content were observed. After a storage of 6 weeks 2--3% of the cells were present as diskocytes, 60% as echinocytes, and 40% as spherocytes. The delayed morphological alterations in the ACD-AG blood in comparison with ACD-A blood were also reflected by a higher ATP content of the ACD-AG blood during its storage. The alterations in the form of erythrocytes recorded in the morphological index Im (a subdivision was made according to 6 different stages of form) correlated with the ATP content. The coefficient of correlation amounted to r = 0.85. Thus, Im is a reliable criterium for evaluating possible storage damages of stored erythrocytes.