Abstract
Hereditary spherocytosis is the most common inheritated disorder of the red-cell membrane and is transmitted as an autosomal-dominant trait in 80 to 90 percent of the cases. The classic features are a congenital and familial hemolytic-process-associated splenomegaly and red cells that are spherical in shape.
The author reported two families with this disease and also observed red cells morphologically in three of these cases by scanning electron microscope. As a result, spherocytes, discocytes and stomatocytes occupied 17 to 33%, 32 to 44%, and 30 to 51% of their specimens respectively. Their spherocytes varied in size and shape, and a seriously spherical shape was rare. An increased percentage of stomatocytes, which are precursors of spherocytes, was characteristic on scanning electron microscopic observations.
