SC erythrocytes have an abnormally high intracellular hemoglobin concentration. Pathophysiological consequences.

We have examined 20 SC patients on Percoll-Stractan continuous density gradients and find that they have an elevated mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC). Reduction of the MCHC to normal values results in amelioration of four physiologically important blood abnormalities: decreased oxygen affinity, viscosity of deoxygenated erythrocyte suspensions, rate of sickling, and deoxygenation induced K+ efflux. These observations suggest that the rehydration of SC cells to normal values should be considered a potential approach in the therapeutic manipulation of this disease.