A method for determination of sialic acid in human erythrocyte membranes

Sialic acid is aa important constituent of membranes-bound glycoprotein and glycolipid.Rec- ently,we have established a method for the determination of it in human erythrocyte membranes, which was used to measure it in 132 normal subjects of different ages and 34 patients with var- ious diseases,of including 9 cases of esophageal cancer,15 of lung cacer,5 of myocardial infarct- ion,9 of infantile muscular atrophy and limb-girdle muscular dystrophy.The results showed a reduction of the sialic acid concentration in these patients,suggesting that,perhaps membrane def- ects may be present in these diseases.