Oxygen binding, deformability, membrane stability of nascent reticulocytes. (A) The oxygen association (left panel) and dissociation (right panel) curves are plotted for 20 μL of cord blood (mean p50 oxy = 14.26, deoxy = 14.57), cultured (following protocol B) and filtered reticulocytes (mean p50 oxy = 28.44, deoxy = 28.57), and adult peripheral blood (p50 adult oxy = 28.97, deoxy = 28.97). (B) Deformability curve of elongation index (EI) vs. shear stress for erythrocytes and cultured reticulocytes (i). Membrane stability curve of elongation index versus time for mature adult erythrocytes (red) and cultured reticulocytes (black) subjected to a continuous high shear stress of 57.5Pa (ii).