In order to understand how the red cell of mild insulin dependent diabetes mellitus rat perform the normal physiological function and maintain integrity cytosolic dehydrogenases were assayed. Lactate dehydrogenase produces the cofactor for glycolytic enzymes while glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase produces the coenzymes for oxygen radical scavanging enzymes. Decrease in activity of cytosolic dehydrogenase renders diabetic erythrocyte population more susceptible to oxidant stress.
Animals Cytosol