Abstract
In the present experiment it was attempted to clarify the correlation of erythrocyte shape and packed red cell volume (Ht). For the determination of Ht, conventional centrifugation method and Coulter Counter Model S (a full automatic electronic particle counter) were adopted. In microcytosis, Ht measured by centrifugation was found to be much higher than that measured by Coulter Counter. This finding indicates that the intercellular free space is larger in microcytosis than in normocytosis. Furthermore in hereditary spherocytosis or spherocytosis caused by Isoton treatment, the conventional Ht was observed to be relatively low. This phenomenon indicates that abnormal high value of the mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) in hereditary spherocytosis is mainly due to relatively low Ht caused by spherical shape of erythocytes.
