Intramembranous particles on freeze-fractured membrane replica and sulfhydryl groups.

The correlated distribution of intramembranous particles and sulfhydryl groups was examined in normal adult rabbit erythrocyte ghosts. Ghosts were treated to exhibit characteristic patterns of particle distribution and sulfhydryl groups were stained with Fast Blue BBN. It was shown that particles and sulfhydryl groups were located in corresponding patterns. The results indicate that the intramembranous particles in the erythrocyte membrane consist predominantly of protein.