[Application of 2 electrophoresis techniques to the analysis of erythrocyte membrane proteins in hereditary spherocytosis].

Seven patients with hereditary spherocytosis have been studied using polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis with sodium dodecylsulfate (PAGE-SDS) and cytopherometry, in order to obtain information about possible alterations in the erythrocyte membrane proteins and in the electrophoretic mobility of whole erythrocytes. In four patients, a decrease in Band 4.2 protein was found. Histogram plotters proved of interest in showing two subpopulations in two patients. In all the cases, the electrophoretic mobility was normal. In two patients a spectrin deficiency was found. The study of histograms showed the presence of two subpopulations in this group of patients, in which the electrophoretic mobility was normal. Finally, one patient showed no deficiencies in membrane proteins. This fact can be due to an abnormality of spectrin that we could not detect with our techniques.