Erythrocytes

A normal erythrocyte ismaintained in a characteristic
biconcave discoid form by the cytoskeletal
proteins. Genetic defects in different
cytoskeletal proteins lead to characteristic erythrocyte
deformations: as ellipses (elliptocytes),
as spheres (spherocytes), or as cells with
a mouthlike area (stomatocytes) or thornlike
projections (acanthocytes). The various forms
are the result of defects of different proteins.