Hereditary spherocytosis

Hereditary spherocytosis

Genetics

Genetic disorders

Achondroplasia
Alagille syndrome (NORD)
Familial adenomatous polyposis
Familial hypercholesterolemia
Hereditary spherocytosis
Huntington disease
Li-Fraumeni syndrome
Marfan syndrome
Multiple endocrine neoplasia
Myotonic dystrophy
Neurofibromatosis
Polycystic kidney disease
Treacher Collins syndrome
Tuberous sclerosis
von Hippel-Lindau disease
Albinism
Alpha-thalassemia
Beta-thalassemia
Cystic fibrosis
Friedreich ataxia
Gaucher disease (NORD)
Glycogen storage disease type I
Glycogen storage disease type II (NORD)
Glycogen storage disease type III
Glycogen storage disease type IV
Glycogen storage disease type V
Hemochromatosis
Krabbe disease
Leukodystrophy
Mucopolysaccharide storage disease type 1 (Hurler syndrome) (NORD)
Niemann-Pick disease type C
Niemann-Pick disease types A and B (NORD)
Phenylketonuria (NORD)
Polycystic kidney disease
Primary ciliary dyskinesia
Sickle cell disease (NORD)
Tay-Sachs disease (NORD)
Wilson disease
Cri du chat syndrome
Williams syndrome
Angelman syndrome
Prader-Willi syndrome
Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome
Mitochondrial myopathy
Klinefelter syndrome
Turner syndrome
Fragile X syndrome
Friedreich ataxia
Huntington disease
Myotonic dystrophy
Down syndrome (Trisomy 21)
Edwards syndrome (Trisomy 18)
Patau syndrome (Trisomy 13)
Alport syndrome
Fragile X syndrome
Fabry disease (NORD)
Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency
Hemophilia
Lesch-Nyhan syndrome
Mucopolysaccharide storage disease type 2 (Hunter syndrome) (NORD)
Muscular dystrophy
Ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency
Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome
X-linked agammaglobulinemia
Autosomal trisomies: Pathology review
Miscellaneous genetic disorders: Pathology review
Muscular dystrophies and mitochondrial myopathies: Pathology review

Key Takeaways

Hereditary spherocytosis (HS) is an autosomal dominant genetic disorder in which red blood cells are sphere-shaped instead of having the normal biconcave shape. These abnormal red blood cells break down prematurely, which can lead to anemia. Also, because of their abnormal shape, red blood cells in spherocytosis don't move through small blood cells efficiently as normal ones do, which can affect tissue oxygenation. People with hereditary spherocytosis can present with jaundice, splenomegaly, and features of anemia like pallor and fatigue.