ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the changes of the intramembrane protein particles of erythrocyte from Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) patients and the gene carriers and to explore the pathogenesis of DMD and the diagnostic value of erythrocyte freeze-fracture technology.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The fixed erythrocyte mass was treated to form replica membrane by means of the freeze-fracture technology. Then the replica membrane was observed and a picture was taken under electron microscope. The protein particles of extracellular face(EF) and protoplasmic face(PF) per square were counted. The statistical comparative analysis was performed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The protein particle counts of EF face and PF face of erythrocyte membrane from DMD patients and DMD carriers decreased obviously in comparison with the normal control group (P<0.001).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The erythrocyte freeze-fracture electron microscopic technology may serve as a method for accessory examination of diagnosing DMD patients and a method for detecting DMD carriers. This investigation material supplies reliable evidence for the theory of the systemic membrane defect of DMD.</p>