Morphological and functional alteration of erythrocyte ghosts and giant unilamellar vesicles caused by Vipera latifi venom.

Snake bites are an endemic public health problem in Iran, both in rural and urban area. Viper venom as a hemolytic biochemical "cocktail" of toxins, primarily cause to the systemic alteration of blood cells. In the sixties and seventies, human erythrocytes were extensively studied, but the mechanical and chemical stresses commonly exerted on red blood cells continue to attract interest of scientists for the study of membrane structure and function. Here, we monitor the effect of Vipera latifi venom on human erythrocytes ghost membranes using phase contrast and fluorescent microscopy and changes in ATPase activity under snake venom influence in vitro. The ion pumps [Na