Hemoglobin deficit: an inherited hypochromic anemia in the mouse.

The character and pathogenesis of hemoglobin deficit (gene symbol, hbd), an autosomal recessive trait in the mouse, were studied. The main hematological features of hemoglobin deficit are anemia, red cell hypochromia and microcytosis, and reticulocytosis. The absence of raised fecal urobilinogen excretion and frank hyperbilirubinemia and bilirubinuria suggests that excess hemolysis is not the primary cause of the anemia. The raised plasma iron concentration and the failure of the anemia to respond to parenteral iron treatment indicate that the anemia is not due to iron deficiency. The absence of siderocytes and sideroblasts suggests that anemia is probably not due to ferrochelatase deficiency. Thalassemia is excluded by the finding of balanced reticulocyte globin chain synthesis. The markedly elevated levels of free red cell protoporphyrin taken together with the other findings already noted suggest that the anemia of hemoglobin deficit is due to a defect in the erythroid cell iron procurement mechanisms leading in turn to diminished heme and hemoglobin synthesis.