Studies on Chromated Erythrocytes. Effect of Sodium Chromate on Erythrocyte Glutathione Reductase*

Abstract

The marked affinity of erythrocytes for hexa- valent chromate anion was reported in 1950 by Gray and Sterling (1). Since then, erythrocytes labeled with radioactive sodium chromate have been used extensively for the determination of erythrocyte survival in vivo (1-5) and the deter- mination of blood volume (4-6). The anionic hexavalent form of chromium is bound firmly to erythrocytes, is not reutilized, and is excreted mainly in the urine (2). Gray and Sterling sug- gested that the hexavalent form of chromium in the erythrocyte is probably bound to hemoglobin. Recent work, however, has shown that not all of the chromium is attached to hemoglobin, but that some of it is combined with a substance of low molecular weight, possibly glutathione (7).