Atomic force microscopy demonstration of cytoskeleton instability in mouse erythrocytes with dematin-headpiece and β-adducin deficiency.

The pattern of disassembly of the cytoskeletal network of murine erythrocytes with deficiency of either dematin-headpiece or β-adducin or both proteins were investigated using atomic force microscopy. A heterogeneous complex structure with fine filament features and coarse features was observed in the cytoskeleton of wild type mouse erythrocytes, whereas a significant amount of rearrangement and aggregation occurred in the mutants, particularly in the cells carrying double gene mutations. These results are consistent with the cellular and biochemical phenotype of the mutant cell membranes as being more fragile due to weakened vertical connections with the plasma membrane.