[Use of the rosette formation reaction for the purpose of studying erythrocyte properties in liver diseases].

In all patients with acute infectious hepatitis and toxic hepatic lesions a characteristic phenomenon is observed: the appearance of modified red blood cells detected by the rosette-formation test. This phenomenon is absent in cholelithiasis patients and thus can be used as an additional clinico-laboratory test for differentiating hepatogenous and nonhepatogenous jaundices. The appearance of modified red blood cells is the result of the effect produced on their membranes by the serum factor whose activity is suppressed by protease trasilol, a polyvalent inhibiting agent.