Pathologic states of the erythrocyte membrane

Except for those in which oxygen binding is impaired, virtually all diseases of the red cell manifest themselves in the first instance as a loss of plasticity of the cell membrane, a property vital to movement of the erythrocyte through the microvasculature. Defects in membrane protein and abnormal permeability to ions, especially calcium, were found to underlie such pathologic states as spherocytosis and sickle cell disease.