Relationship of density distribution and pyruvate kinase electrophoretic pattern of erythrocytes in sickle cell diseases and other disorders.

The density distributions of red cells from sickle cell disorders and other hematological diseases were determined. In sickle cell anemia there was an increase in the proportion of cells in both the heaviest and lightest fractions. In hemoglobin SC disease, a small fraction was shifted to heavier cells. Sickle cell trait blood had a normal density pattern. In hereditary spherocytosis an increase in the number of heavy cells was observed. Thin-layer polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of red cell pyruvate kinase demonstrated that the pyruvate electrophoretic pattern was related to density distribution.