Self-diffusion of Water and Blood Lipids in Mouse Erythrocytes

Abstract

The self-diffusion of water and lipids in water—mouse RBCs’ suspension was investigated by pulsed field gradient NMR technique at different diffusion times in temperature range from 5 to 35 °C. For the experimental data interpretation, the phenomenological scaling approach was applied. The intracellular water restriction size (2.1 μm), erythrocyte water permeability (about 10⁻⁵ m/s), intracellular residence time (about 20 ms), and water permeability activation energy (24.1 ± 1.9 kJ/mol) were calculated. The lipid self-diffusion coefficients are varied from 3 × 10⁻¹² to 10⁻¹¹ m²/s depending on temperature and diffusion time. The lipid lateral self-diffusion activation energy is about 25 ± 2.9 kJ/mol.