Membrane-bound hemoglobin in the erythrocytes of sickle cell anemia

The thoroughly washed ghosts of erythrocytes from normal subjects and patients with sickle cell anemia were assayed for their content of total protein, total globin, hemoglobin, and alpha and beta chains by chemical and electrophoretic techniques. Total protein, globin, and hemoglobin were significantly greater in sickle cell than in normal ghosts. Ghosts prepared from different density fractions of sickle red cells showed no significant differences in protein, globin, or hemoglobin, though membrane-bound globin was highest in the most dense cells. In both whole populations and density fractions of sickle red cells, the majority of the membrane-bound globin retained its heme. Alpha and beta S chains were present in equal amounts in the sickle cell membranes.