What are hereditary spherocytosis and elliptocytosis?
These are inherited disorders in which red blood cells lack a protein in their structure that changes them from their normal disc shape to either a sphere or ellipse. The spleen recognizes these cells as abnormal and removes them. As a result, the person has a low red blood cell count, and is anemic. • Are hereditary spherocytosis and elliptocytosis dangerous? Not really. The red blood cell counts become low but, in general, not low enough to put the person’s life in danger. People with hereditary spherocytosis and elliptocytosis get tired easily, appear pale and often have a yellow appearance to their eyes and skin. The yellow appearance, known as jaundice, results from the breakdown of the red cells. The iron pigment in the red cells is converted to a substance called bilirubin that normally is processed and excreted by the liver. However, these people have so much bilirubin that the liver cannot keep up. Bilirubin accumulates in the blood and tissues, turning the skin and eyes yello
