Electrochemical method for determination of erythrocytes and leukocytes

The electrochemical behavior of erythrocytes (red blood cell, RBC) and leukocytes (white blood cell, WBC) has been investigated by cyclic voltammetry with a three electrode system. The anodic wave of leukocytes and erythrocytes appeared at 0.32 V and at 0.73 V (vs. SCE): on the first scan. No corresponding reduction wave was observed in the reverse scan. The effect of scan rate and temperature on the peak potential and peak current were examined. The experimental results show that the electrode redox processes of erythrocytes and leukocytes are totally irreversible. An electrochemical method to monitor the number of leukocytes and erythrocytes was proposed. The peak current resulted in a linear change for 6.21 x 10(4) - 1.14 x 10(6) cells mL(-1) of leukocytes and 7.2 x 10(8) - 5.76 x 10(9) cells mL(-1) of erythrocytes. The peak potential shifted negatively with increasing of concentration of erythrocytes and at the same time the morphological overlapping of erythrocytes was found. This may be due to the self-assembly of erythrocyte transmembrane protein (band 3 and glycophorin A) noncovalently associated.