ABSTRACT
The dynamics of transformation and osmotic fragility (OF) of erythrocytes in the blood of rats of different ages (6, 12 and 24 months) were studied using small-angle light scattering method and the indices of erythrocytes transformation were calculated. The heterogeneity of the erythrocytes population in the blood increased with age: the proportion of normal and highly resistant flattened discocytes decreased. The proportion of flattened discocytes was the lowest in 12 months of aged rats. Correspondently, the proportion of the erythrocytes altered shapes, both reversible (stomatocytes) and irreversible (spherocytes), increased with age. It is speculated that the erythrocytes transformation developed via the stomatocytic pathway. The tendency to an increase in the level of erythrocytes OF between the rat ages was only found. The indices of transformation, reversible and irreversible transformation increased with age, except for the reversibility index, which was the highest in 6 months of age rats, significantly unchanged in 12 months of age rats, and decreased almost in 3,5 times in 24 months compared to 6 months of aged rats. In 6 months` aged rats, a lower index of transformation was observed against a background of a higher index of reversibility compared to the other age groups of rats.