10. Use of erythrocytes

I have already stated that the erythrocytes have characteristics of adsorbing various small particles and are also electrically chargeable.

When the erythrocytes become hemolysis, they will decrease their adsorbing capacity and decrease light absorbing coefficient also. Therefore, we can easily check: the existence of hemolysis in the erythrocytes by using the photoelectric-colorimeter.

I have been studying the adsorbing capacity of the erythrocytes for many years. Formerly I used to make erythrocytes to adsorb vnious materials and observed the variation or the changes of physical characteristics of the erythrocytes such as sphering of the erythrocytes , and measure the light transmissivity by the photoelectric-colorimeter, observed the speed of electrophoresis of the blood, etc.

I named this experiment tentatively as "Erythrochromatography."

Recently, I have seen an interesting report pertaining to the diagnosis of lung cancer by observing the speed of electrophoresis of the erythrocytes. In this diagnosis, the speed of electrophoresis of erythrocytes incubated in serum of ordinary person is compared with that of a patient of cancer. It seems to be quite an effective method for the diagnosis of cancer.

The shielding thickness of Debye is said to be within 50 or 60 Angstroms. The erythrocytes have very corqolicated shapes with sieves of many holes and have capabibty to adsorb large amount of small particles. The erythrocytes are indispensable materials for transportation of oxygen in a living body. Besides, they are very small cells having no nucleus, making them very useful for many other purposes.

It is not only interesting but quite gratifying for us medical scientists to realize that such useful substances are always available near at hand, for even in engineering field it seems difficult to find such minute particles which can change their sizes and shapes so easily and so conveniently.