Erythrocyte membrane glycerophospholipid organization is normal in multiple sclerosis.

The phospholipid composition of erythrocyte membranes from patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) was found to be normal, in agreement with previous reports. The transbilayer asymmetry of the glycerophospholipids in MS red cells was probed using bee venom phospholipase A2 and was also found not to be significantly different from normal. Abnormal membrane glycerophospholipid organisation is therefore not involved in the increased red cell size, osmotic fragility, and electrophoretic mobility associated with MS.