Red blood cell subpopulations in freshly drawn blood: application of proteomics and metabolomics to a decades-long biological issue.

Abstract

This analysis shows that the three main red blood cell subpopulations, accounting for over 92% of the total RBC, are rather homogeneous soon after withdrawal. Major age-related alterations in vivo probably affect enzyme activities through post-translational mechanisms rather than through changes in the overall proteomic profile of RBC.