Membrane microfilaments of erythrocytes: alteration in intact cells reproduces the hereditary spherocytosis syndrome (vinblastine-colchicine-strychnine-electron microscopy-cell rigidity).

Membrane microfilaments are found throughout the animal world in situations suggesting that they fulfill a critical role in providing normal cell shape and plasticity. We have hypothesized that hereditary spherocytosis, a congenital hemolytic anemia associated with intrinsically rigid and mishapen erythrocytes, might result from genetically defective microfilaments in erythrocyte membranes. By using three different drugs (vinblastine, colchicine, and strychnine) that share one common attribute-that of potently precipitating purified microfilamentous protein-we have provided support for this hypothesis. Thus, all the known in vitro and in vivo characteristics of hereditary spherocytes are reproduced in normal erythrocytes briefly exposed to these precipitating agents.