We studied the effect of changes in erythrocyte volume and irreversible thermal denaturation of cytoskeleton proteins and lipid matrix on activity of Ca(2+)-activated K+ channels in erythrocytes of alcoholic and patients with II type diabetes mellitus. Changes in Ca(2+)-dependent potassium permeability of erythrocyte membrane in alcoholic patients and patients with II type diabetes mellitus are related to modification of cytoskeleton, rather than to changes in lipid matrix.