Rapid, periodate-induced stimulation of permeability and macromolecular synthesis in chicken erythrocytes

Brief treatment of chicken erythrocytes with periodate induces a rapid increase in uptake of ³H-uridine and its incorporation into RNA. Incorporation but not uptake is inhibited by Actinomycin D, but neither parameter is affected by ethidium bromide. Thymidine uptake is unaltered; there is neither hemolysis nor altered permeability to trypan blue. The rapid responses are similar in magnitude to those elicited by biological mitogens from lymphocytes. We interpret these results to mean that avian erythrocytes can respond in a normal way to signals like those active on lymphocytes and hence are a useful system to study mechanisms whereby signals at the cell periphery activate nuclear function.