Nitric oxide effects on human erythrocytes structural and functional properties--an in vitro study.

NO is present in the blood at 10(-7) M under physiological conditions, but at concentrations higher than 10(-6) M during inflammatory disease states. The aim of this study was to characterize what are the effects of these different NO concentrations on erythrocyte structural and functional properties. Blood was collected from eleven healthy men and incubated with SpermineNONOate in order to expose it during incubation time to NO concentrations between 10(-7) M and 10(-3) M.