Red-Cell Survival in Familial Hæmolytic Anæmias

Abstract

WHEN the red-cell hæm of familial hæmolytic anæmia patients is isotopically tagged, as by the administration of glycine-¹⁵N, the curves of subsequent isotope-levels are interpretable in at least two ways¹. It is shown here that the one of the interpretations which is most widely accepted is also consistent with the related data on tagging of the excreted stercobilin. This result combines with other data to imply that the incorporation of hæm occurs only during a relatively late part of the development of red cells in the bone marrow of these patients.