Red cell survival studies in hereditary spherocytosis.

Abstract

The in vivo survival of hereditary spherocytes has been investigated with the (51)Cr red cell survival technique. Spherocytes invariably showed a shorter survival in a normal recipient than in the donor's own circulation. Moreover transfusion of spherocytes from a mother to her son, both with hereditary spherocytosis, showed that "foreign" spherocytes have a shorter survival than the "self" spherocytes of the recipient. These findings are attributed to splenic reticuloendothelial blockade, specific towards hereditary spherocytes in the patient's own circulation. There was no correlation between the Na(+) influx and the hemolytic tendency of hereditary spherocytes when the latter was measured..