Quasistationary states in red cell suspensions with special regard to blood and red cell preservation.

A biophysical model of a red cell suspension which is considered as a closed two-compartment system is established. The model includes the main components of resuspending solutions for red cell preservation which are of biophysical importance. Knowing the composition of the resuspending solution and the mixture cell sediment/resuspending solution the relative cell volume, the cell pH, the pH of the medium, and the transmembrane potential can be calculated. The model is in good accordance with experimental findings (temperature dependence of suspension pH, depolarisation of cells by addition of sucrose or citrate to the outer medium, acidification of the medium by lactate production) and enables one to explain these observations to a certain degree of accuracy also quantitatively. Relations to biochemical aspects of red cell and blood preservation are shown.