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Inverted micellar intermediates and the transitions between lamellar, cubic, and inverted hexagonal amphiphile phases. III. Isotropic and inverted cubic state formation via intermediates in transitions between L alpha and HII phases.

Inverted cubic and isotropic phases have been observed in phospholipid and glycolipid systems. These phases exhibit characteristic morphologies in freeze-fracture electron micrographs, isotropic 31P-NMR resonances and (in some cases) cubic X-ray diffraction patterns. It is proposed here that these phases may form from the same intermediates that are involved in lamellar/inverted hexagonal (L alpha/HII) phase transitions, and that it is possible that these cubic and isotropic phases are metastable. According to a kinetic theory of L alpha/HII phase transitions, intermediates in such transitions can form structures known as interlamellar attachments (ILAs). It is shown that ILAs should form in large numbers during L alpha/HII transitions in systems like those reported to form inverted cubic or isotropic structures. ILAs cannot readily assemble into either the HII phase or well-ordered arrays of L alpha phase bilayers, and represent a kinetic trap for intermediates in L alpha/HII transitions (although it is possible that they are marginally more stable in a thermodynamic sense than the L alpha phase in a small temperature range below TH). It is also shown that arrays of ILAs should form metastable arrays with the same morphology and isotropic 31P-NMR resonances that are observed in isotropic and inverted cubic states. In particular, under some circumstances ILAs will assemble into a structure identical to the bicontinuous inverted cubic phase previously described in monoglycerides and very similar in morphology to structures observed in phospholipid systems. Finally, since isotropic and cubic states form from ILAs, which also can mediate fusion of unilamellar vesicles, unilamellar vesicles should fuse to at least some extent under the same conditions in which multilamellar samples of the same lipid form isotropic or inverted cubic states. This correlation has been observed.

Glycolipids

Leishmania braziliensis: protein, carbohydrate, and antigen differences between log phase and stationary phase promastigotes in vitro.

When Leishmania species are grown in vitro, parasites from the stationary phase differ from those in log phase growth in being more infective and more resistant to complement and macrophage mediated killing. In the present study, log phase and stationary phase promastigotes of Leishmania braziliensis panamensis were compared at the molecular level. Differences in polypeptide and glycoprotein composition and antigenicity between log and stationary phase promastigotes of L. b. panamensis were detected by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and Western blotting; the former showed that two polypeptides were unique to log phase promastigotes and one was unique to stationary phase promastigotes. There were also differences in surface lectin binding characteristics of log and stationary phase promastigotes. Live stationary phase promastigotes bound more concanavalin and lentil lectin than log phase promastigotes, indicating a greater number of mannose residues on their surfaces.

Animals

Retention and selectivity of flavanones on homopolypeptide-bonded stationary phases in both normal- and reversed-phase liquid chromatography.

Three linear polymers of repeating amino acid units, or homopolypeptides, have been individually covalently bonded to microparticulate silica and evaluated for liquid chromatographic separations. The retention and selectivity of seven flavanones were investigated on these stationary phases and a structurally similar, commercially available reference stationary phase, Chiraspher. All three of the homopolypeptide stationary phases retain solutes in the normal-phase mode. The aromatic-containing homopolypeptide stationary phases also retain solutes in the reversed-phase mode. Selectivity values for the flavanones were higher in the normal-phase mode; chiral selectivity was observed for the amphiphilic homopolypeptide stationary phase in the reversed-phase mode. The retention mechanism of each stationary phase is suggested based on the chemical nature and conformation of the corresponding homopolypeptide ligand.

Chromatography, Liquid

Effect of mobile phase additives on peptide retention in reversed-phase chromatography with pellicular and totally porous sorbents.

The effect of two mobile phase additives, trifluoroacetic acid and phosphoric acid, on the energetics of peptide retention in reversed-phase chromatography was investigated using Hy-Tach C18 micropellicular and Vydac C4 and C18 totally porous stationary phases. The effect of the relatively low phase ratio of columns packed with micropellicular sorbents was also examined. The logarithmic retention factors, of two model peptides, Ac-RGGGGLGLGK-amide and Ac-RGAGGLGLGK-amide, were evaluated with different columns and additives in a practical range of eluent strength. The dependence of the logarithmic retention factor on the concentration of acetonitrile in the mobile phase was linear in all cases. The higher sensitivity of the retention to the organic modifier concentration in the case of the Hy-Tach C18 column is attributed to the relatively low phase ratio of this column. Pairwise plots of the logarithmic retention factors were linear. The plots of data obtained with the two additives has unit slopes and thus reveal homoenergetic retention behavior. On the other hand data obtained on two different columns manifest homeoenergetic retention, the slopes of plots are different from unity. The analysis has yielded consistent results and validated the assumption that the retention free energy can be divided into two components arising from mobile phase and stationary phase contributions. The approach also allowed an estimation of the relative phase ratios of the columns and the Vydac C18 column was found to have an 3 and 8 times higher phase ratio than the Vydac C4 and the Hy-Tech C18 column, respectively.

Acetonitriles

C1q solid-phase radioimmunoassay: binding properties of solid-phase C1q and evidence that C1q-binding IgG complexes in systemic lupus erythematosus are not bound to endogenous C1q.

The binding properties of C1q solid-phase radioimmunoassay (C1q SPRIA) were examined, using heat-aggregated IgG (HAG) as the model of immune complexes (IC). The free, liquid-phase C1q, which was added to the C1q-coated tubes prior to the addition of HAG, had little inhibitory effect on binding of HAG to the solid-phase C1q, suggesting that the solid-phase C1q has a higher affinity for HAG than the liquid-phase C1q. On the other hand, more than 60% inhibition was seen when HAG was preincubated with the liquid-phase C1q. These binding properties of HAG to the solid-phase C1q in the presence of the liquid-phase C1q were not essentially altered by the heat inactivation or the addition of EDTA, suggesting that these pretreatments are not essential in C1q SPRIA. Next, in similar kinds of experiments, the binding properties of C1q-binding IgG complexes in SLE sera were investigated. In contrast to HAG, the binding capacity of IgG complexes in SLE sera to the solid-phase C1q was not inhibited by the preincubation with excess liquid-phase C1q. These findings suggest that C1q-binding IgG complexes in SLE sera detected by C1q SPRIA may not be bound to endogenous C1q in the circulation.

Antigen-Antibody Complex

cAMP contributes to mossy fiber LTP by initiating both a covalently mediated early phase and macromolecular synthesis-dependent late phase.

Memory storage has a short-term phase that depends on preexisting proteins and a long-term phase that requires new protein and RNA synthesis. Hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP) is thought to contribute to memory storage. Consistent with this idea, a cellular representation of these phases has been demonstrated in NMDA receptor-dependent LTP. By contrast, little is known about the NMDA receptor-independent LTP of the mossy fiber pathway. We find that mossy fiber LTP also has phases. Only late phase is blocked by protein and RNA synthesis inhibitors, but both phases are blocked by inhibitors of cAMP-dependent protein kinase, and both are stimulated by forskolin and Sp-cAMPS. During early phase, paired-pulse facilitation is occluded. This occlusion decays with the onset of late phase, consistent with its using a different mechanism. Thus, although Schaffer collateral and mossy fiber pathways use very different mechanisms for early phase, both use a cAMP-mediated mechanism for late phase.

Animals

Chromatographic behaviour in reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with micellar and submicellar mobile phases: effects of the organic modifier.

Continuing our earlier study of the retention behaviour in reversed-phase systems with aqueous mobile phases containing surfactants in concentrations lower (submicellar systems) and higher (micellar systems) than the critical micellar concentration (CMC), we investigated the chromatographic behaviour of various non-ionic solutes in mixed aqueous-organic micellar and submicellar mobile phases and their dependence on the methanol concentration. CMC values were measured for two cationic surfactant and one anionic surfactant in mixed aqueous-methanolic solvents, and were found to increase slightly with increasing methanol concentration. Depending on the character of the surfactant, a limiting concentration of methanol was found, above which micelles do not occur anymore. Sorption isotherms of the surfactants on an octylsilica gel column were measured as a function of the concentration of methanol in aqueous-methanolic solvents. A modified Langmuir equation was used to describe the distribution of the surfactants between the stationary and the mobile phases in the concentration range below CMC. The retention of several polar solutes was measured on an octylsilica gel column both in micellar and submicellar mobile phases containing methanol. The dependencies of the capacity factors of the solutes studied on the concentration of methanol in the mobile phase can be suitably described by the same form of equation as that conventionally used for aqueous-organic mobile phases that do not contain surfactants, but the slopes of the dependencies for a given solute are different in the two ranges of surfactant concentrations. The ratio of the two slopes is controlled by the interaction with micelles and is approximately equal to, below or above 1, depending on whether the solutes do or do not associate with the micelles, or are repulsed from them. Simultaneous control of the concentrations of the organic solvent and of the surfactant in the mobile phase can be used for fine tuning the selectivity of separation as a complement to commonly used adjusting concentrations of two organic solvents in ternary aqueous-organic mobile phases. These effects are illustrated by practical examples of submicellar HPLC with mobile phases containing methanol.

Adsorption

Role of head group structure in the phase behavior of amino phospholipids. 1. Hydrated and dehydrated lamellar phases of saturated phosphatidylethanolamine analogues.

Analogues of dimyristoylphosphatidylethanolamine (DMPE) have been prepared with head groups modified by N-alkylation, alkylation of carbon 2 of the ethanolamine group, or interposition of extra methylene segments between the phosphoryl and amino groups. The phases formed by these lipids in aqueous dispersions have been examined by high-sensitivity differential scanning calorimetry and Raman spectroscopy. All of the DMPE analogues examined, excepting N-methyl-DMPE but including N-ethyl-DMPE, form hydrated gel phases that are metastable with respect to a dehydrated "high-melting" solid phase that has been observed previously for DMPE itself. The properties and the conditions of formation of this high-melting phase are qualitatively distinct from those of the "subgel" phase, which is observed for dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine and for some of the DMPE analogues examined in this study. The high-melting phases of different DMPE analogues all exhibit similarly tight packing of the acyl chains, which however do not pack according to a single type of subcell that can be universally and specifically associated with this phase. Increasing the size of the PE head group invariably decreases the melting temperature of the hydrated gel phase, even when the normal hydrogen-bonding capability of the head group is preserved. By contrast, addition of larger alkyl substituents to either the amino group or carbon 2 of the ethanolamine moiety substantially increases the transition temperature of the high-melting solid phase, indicating that the contributions of the head group to the energies of the hydrated gel and the high-melting phases are fundamentally different. Our results suggest that the head group structural requirements for a neutral phospholipid to form stable hydrated bilayers are rather stringent, a fact that may explain the overwhelming predominance of only a few such head group structures in most natural membranes.

Calorimetry, Differential Scanning

Quantitative solid-phase Edman degradation for evaluation of extended solid-phase peptide synthesis.

Quantitative solid-phase Edman degradation was used for the amino acid sequence analysis of synthetic peptidyl-resins prepared by the Merrifield solid-phase procedure. A model peptide, Ala-[3H]Pro-Ala-Gly-Phe-Ala-Gly-, was synthesized on a solid support and was sequenced to measure the efficiency of the solid-phase sequencing protocol used. An average of 92% of the first four residues was removed from the peptidyl-resin as indicated by subtractive amino acid analysis. Quantitation of the radioactive proline residue at cycle 2 revealed that it was efficiently recovered both from the acid conversion procedure (99%) and also following high-pressure liquid chromatography of the phenylthiohydantoin (Pth) amino acid (88%). In order to facilitate identification and quantification of the side chain protected Pth amino acids, we prepared these derivatives and characterized them by high-pressure liquid chromatography. Thereafter, by the use of solid-phase Edman degradation as an analytical procedure, the synthesis of residues 2-118 of the heavy-chain variable region (VH) of a homogeneous rabbit antibody was undertaken. At 10-15-residue intervals during the solid-phase synthesis, samples of peptidyl-resin were removed from the synthesis vessel and sequenced. When gross synthetic errors caused by deletion of amino acids residues were detected, the solid-phase synthesis was terminated and restarted by using modified protocols. A 117-residue peptidyl-resin was prepared finally which possessed the desired amino acid sequence as indicated by a series of solid-phase Edman degradation experiments. In the final degradation experiment on the 117-residue peptidyl-resin, a 92% efficiency for the automatic Edman reaction was measured ([3H]Leu, penultimate amino-terminal residue). We have found two advantages for the concurrent use of solid-phase Edman degradation during an extended solid-phase synthesis: (1) on the basis of the level of error due to incomplete incorporation of amino acids, the solid-phase assembly could be terminated in favor of restarting the synthesis, hence avoiding further work on a defective product and (2) direct verification of incorporation of amino acids, which during acid hydrolysis are destroyed (Cys, Trp) or are deamidated (Asn, Gln), is possible by high-pressure liquid chromatography of the corresponding Pth derivatives.

Amino Acid Sequence

Timing of parenchymal enhancement on dual-phase dynamic helical CT of the liver: how long does the hepatic arterial phase predominate?

OBJECTIVE: Dual-phase dynamic helical CT is now being used to detect and characterize benign and malignant hypervascular lesions in the liver. The purpose of this study is to define the timing and degree of parenchymal enhancement of normal liver during the hepatic arterial phase. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: This prospective study included 102 patients with known or suspected hypervascular hepatic lesions who underwent dual-phase helical CT. After unenhanced CT scanning, we injected iopamidol (Isovue 300; Bracco Diagnostics, Princeton, NJ) at 3 ml/sec for 120 ml, then at 2 ml/sec for 55-60 ml. Scan delay for the hepatic arterial phase was 25 sec and for the portal venous phase was 76 sec. Section thickness was 7 mm and pitch was 1:1. Operator-defined regions of interest were obtained from all three phases. RESULTS: Mean unenhanced attenuation of the liver was 51 +/- 12 H. The liver revealed progressive enhancement during the hepatic arterial phase as follows: an increase of 10 H occurred at a mean time of 33 +/- 4 sec, 20 H at 39 +/- 6 sec, 30 H at 44 +/- 8 sec, 40 H at 46 +/- 6 sec, and 50 H at 48 +/- 5 sec. At 20 H and 30 H of enhancement, we found a statistically significant difference (p < .01) for the mean times of men and women. Mean peak enhancement during the portal venous phase was 89 +/- 23 H. CONCLUSIONS: Because the hepatic arterial contribution to liver perfusion is approximately 30%, parenchymal enhancement greater than approximately 30% of peak might indicate portal venous predominance. In our study, this percentage corresponded to an increase of approximately 30 H. Therefore, detection of hypervascular lesions in the hepatic arterial phase may be compromised when imaging lasts longer than approximately 44 sec after the initiation of contrast material injection because 44 sec was the mean time for 30 H of enhancement in our series. However, variability between patients was marked, particularly between men and women. Furthermore, the data suggests that the hepatic arterial phase may be relatively brief and that it may be difficult to image properly using current helical CT technology.

Adult

[Phase 3 and phase 4 block in the accessory pathway].

Pacemaker activity at a site proximal to the area of a conduction disturbance has been postulated as depressing conduction in late diastole (phase 4 block). To elucidate the correlation between the site of phase 4 depolarization and that of a conduction disturbance, we examined seven patients with intermittent Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome who had tachycardia (phase 3) and bradycardia (phase 4) dependent on block in the accessory pathway. In each patient, antegrade conduction over the accessory pathway was absent at the sinus rate. During premature atrial stimulation a "window" of accessory pathway conduction was identified in each patient. The outer limit of the window ranged from 420 to 670 ms; the inner limit, from 330 to 620 ms. The duration of the window ranged from 20 to 160 ms. Four patients with orthodromic atrioventricular reentrant tachycardia exhibited preserved retrograde accessory pathway conduction. In one patient with unsustained orthodromic atrioventricular reentrant tachycardia, retrograde accessory pathway conduction also exhibited phase 3 and phase 4 blocks. The remaining two patients had no retrograde accessory pathway conduction. In two patients, retrograde concealed conduction in the accessory pathway induced by ventricular stimulation eliminated a phase 4 block in antegrade accessory pathway conduction. These results suggest that 1) an antegrade phase 4 block may have phase 4 depolarization in the accessory pathway and block at the ventricular insertion of the accessory pathway; 2) a retrograde phase 4 block may have a conduction disturbance at the atrial insertion of the accessory pathway; and 3) a complete retrograde block may occur at the atrial insertion of the accessory pathway.

Adolescent

Analysis of the hexagonal II phase and its relations to lipidic particles and the lamellar phase. A freeze-fracture study.

Model systems of phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and cardiolipin (DPG), as pure components and in binary mixtures with phosphatidylcholine (PC) have been morphologically analysed. The relation between the hexagonalII (HII) phase and lipidic particles as well as between the HII phase and the lamellar phase has been studied. Moreover, the periodicity of the various HII tubes was determined. (1) The periodicity of the HII phase of cardiolipin is dependent on the cation involved. DPG-Ca exhibits the smallest tube to tube distance when compared to Mg2+ and Mn2+. Moreover, the DPG-Ca tubes are quite straight, in contrast to the Mg2+ and Mn2+ tubes, which appear to be frequently curved. (2) HII tubes with two distinct diameters have been observed in HII phase containing lipid mixtures. The thickness of the HII tube is related to the composition of the tube. In the cardiolipin-lecithin system, structural separation of the pure cardiolipin HII phase has been suggested with Mg2+ and Mn2+, but not with Ca2+. (3) Models for the HII to lamellar phase transition and for the HII phase to the lipidic particles are presented. (4) Lipidic particles are exclusively found in lipid model systems, which contain HII phase favouring lipids. Morphological evidence is presented which suggests these lipidic particles represent inverted micells. These observations include: (i) there is a strong topological and quantitative relation between HII tubes and lipidic particles, (ii) lipidic particles occur densely packed in conglomerates without the presence of a smooth layer.

Animals

Phase behavior and arrangement of molecular species in mixtures of a mixed chain and a symmetric phosphatidylethanolamine in the gel and fluid phases.

1-Octadecanoyl, 2-decanoylphosphatidylethanolamine (C(18:0)C(10:0)PE) has been reported to exhibit mixed interdigitated gel-phase packing of the phospholipid acyl chains (Mason, J.T. and Stephenson, F.A. (1990) Biochemistry 29, 590-598). In contrast, ditetradecanoylphosphatidylethanolamine (C(14:0)C(14:0)PE) packs without significant interdigitation of the phospholipid acyl chains across the bilayer center. In this report, the gel-fluid transition temperatures of C(18:0)C(10:0)PE and C(14:0)C(14:0)PE in multilamellar dispersions were determined by fluorescence anisotropy of cis-parinaric acid and trans-parinaric acid with a descending temperature scan rate of 0.67 degrees C/min. The transition mid-points detected for C(18:0)C(10:0)PE with cis-parinaric acid were 19 degrees C in water, 18 degrees C at pH 8.1, and 14 degrees C at pH 10. The phase diagram for C(14:0)C(14:0)PE and C(18:0)C(10:0)PE at pH 10 suggests complete mixing in the fluid phase and considerable immiscibility in the gel phase. Cross-linking of equimolar mixtures of C(14:0)C(14:0)PE and C(18:0)C(10:0)PE with dimethylsuberimidate at pH 10 revealed a random arrangement of the two species in the fluid phase, confirming the notion that C(18:0)C(10:0)PE and C(14:0)C(14:0)PE are miscible in the fluid phase, as determined from the phase diagram. In contrast, cross-linking of the equimolar mixture of C(18:0)C(10:0)PE and C(14:0)C(14:0)PE in the gel phase at 0 degrees C revealed a non-random arrangement, demonstrating and confirming immiscibility in the gel phase.

Chemical Phenomena

Macrophage-mediated cytostatic activity blocks lymphoblast cell cycle progression independently in both G1 phase and S phase.

Recent work has shown that macrophage-mediated cytostatic activity inhibits cell cycle traverse in G1 and/or S phase of the cell cycle without affecting late S, G2, or M phases. The present report is directed at distinguishing between such cytostatic effects on G1 phase or S phase using the accumulation of DNA polymerase alpha as a marker of G1 to S phase transition. Quiescent lymphocytes stimulated with concanavalin A undergo a semisynchronous progression from G0 to G1 to S phase with a dramatic increase in DNA polymerase alpha activity between 20 and 30 hr after stimulation. This increase in enzyme activity was inhibited, as was the accumulation of DNA, when such cells were cocultured with activated murine peritoneal macrophages during this time interval. However, if mitogen-stimulated lymphocytes were enriched for S-phase cells by centrifugal elutriation and cocultured with activated macrophages for 4-6 hr, DNA synthesis was inhibited but the already elevated DNA-polymerase activity was unaffected. Similar results were obtained when a virally transformed lymphoma cell line was substituted as the target cell in this assay. These results show that both G1 and S phase of the cycle are inhibited and suggest that inhibition of progression through the different phases may be accomplished by at least two distinct mechanisms.

Animals

The inverted hexagonal phase is more sensitive to hydroperoxidation than the multilamellar phase in phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine aqueous dispersions.

The effect of phase behaviour (hexagonal II phase and lamellar phase) on the peroxidation of membrane phospholipids has been investigated in dilinoleoyl phosphatidylcholine (DLPC)/dilinoleoyl phosphatidylethanolamine (DLPE) aqueous dispersions. Peroxidation was initiated with a water-soluble radical inducer 2,2'-azobis (2-amidino-propane) dihydrochloride (AAPN). The phospholipid morphology was monitored by 31P-nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Phospholipid hydroperoxides (PCOOH and PEOOH) were determined by chemiluminescence high-performance liquid chromatography (CL-HPLC). In pH-induced phase transition systems, DLPE in the bilayer state was much less oxidized than in the hexagonal II state. In composition-induced phase transition systems, the formation of total hydroperoxides and the consumption of alpha-tocopherol in the hexagonal II phase were greater than in the bilayer phase. These data suggest that the hexagonal II phase is more sensitive to hydroperoxidation than the bilayer phase in phospholipid aqueous dispersions.

Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid

Reversed-phase liquid chromatography with microspherical octadecyl-zirconia bonded stationary phases.

Microspherical zirconia particles were synthesized and surface modified with octadecylsilane compounds for reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. Monomeric and "polymeric" octadecyl-zirconia bonded stationary phases were obtained by reacting the support with octadecyldimethylchlorosilane or octadecyltrichlorosilane, respectively. The surface coverage of the zirconia-based stationary phases with octadecyl functions was approximately the same as that of octadecyl-silica sorbents. These phases were evaluated in terms of reversed-phase chromatographic properties with non-polar, slightly polar and ionic species over a wide range of mobile phase composition and pH. Monomeric octadecyl-zirconia with end-capping exhibited some metallic interactions with both basic and acidic solutes, but these interactions were greatly reduced in the presence of competing agents (e.g., tartrate ions) in the mobile phase. The "polymeric" octadecyl-zirconia sorbents exhibited higher retention than the monomeric ones with the various solutes investigated, and their residual absorptivities toward acidic solutes were much lower. The retention of non-polar and slightly polar aromatic compounds was quasi-homoenergetic on both types of octadecyl-zirconia stationary phases. Stability studies conducted at extreme pH conditions (pH 2.0 and pH 12.0), have shown that "polymeric" octadecyl-zirconia sorbents are more stable than their monomeric counterparts. These stationary phases were quite useful in the separation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, alkylbenzene and phenyl alkylalcohol homologous series, oligosaccharides, dansyl-amino acids, peptides and proteins.

Amino Acid Sequence

Interneuronal interaction between members of quadrature phase and anti-phase pairs in the cat's visual cortex.

Interactions between adjacent simple cells recorded simultaneously from the same microelectrode placement were studied by correlational analysis. The receptive fields of pairs of such cells exhibit either 90 degrees (quadrature phase) or 180 degrees (anti-phase) phase relationships. We now show that the majority of quadrature phase pair members do not receive common input from the immediately precedent stage along the visual pathway, nor do these cells interact with each other. The anti-phase pairs show relatively strong mutual inhibition. These results suggest that each of the physically adjacent phase-related simple cells receives excitatory input from a distinct group of pre-cortical cells, and that mutual inhibitions between members of anti-phase pairs are used to construct the inhibitory subzones of these cells. We propose a model which incorporates these new results and provides a parsimonious explanation for the construction of both quadrature phase and anti-phase pairs.

Animals

Effect of rapidity of phase separation on the efficiency of cell fractionation by partitioning in aqueous two-phase systems.

Partitioning in two-polymer aqueous phase systems is an established method for the separation, purification and characterization of biomaterials. Because of the relatively slow settling rates of these phases, a consequence of the slight difference in density between them, effort has been directed to speeding up phase separation by various means (e.g., the development of a thin-layer countercurrent distribution apparatus). This has resulted in the more rapid processing of materials. Unlike soluble materials, biological particulates (e.g., cells) generally partition between one of the bulk phases and the interface. The mechanism of cell partitioning involves cell-specific adsorption to droplets of one phase suspended in the other, subsequent to phase mixing, and the delivery of adsorbed cells to the bulk interface as the droplets settle. In this communication we show, using erythrocytes as a model, that speeding up phase separation is counterproductive when partitioning cells and results in reduced efficiency of their separation or subfractionation. The most likely reason for this result is that increasing the speed of phase settling removes the droplets of one phase suspended in the other more rapidly than cells can attach to them, thereby interfering with the mechanism whereby cells partition.

Animals