Red Cell Preservation: Further Studies with Adenine

Supplementation of the ACD-preservative with small amounts of adenine (0.5 µM per ml. amounting to 37 mg. of the base or 56 mg. of adenine sulfate per 550 ml. unit of blood) preserved satisfactory viability (post-transfusion survival greater than 70 per cent) of stored human red cells for 5 to 6 weeks. In the concentrations used, the addition of guanine, cytidine or uridine, alone or in combination with adenine, had little or no effect in extending viability. Hypoxanthine, even in large amounts, did not appear to be toxic to the stored cells. Preservation of viability after 6 weeks of refrigerated storage may be somewhat improved by storage in certain plastic containers as compared with glass.