Red‐Cell Metabolism in Hereditary Spherocytosis

SUMMARY 1. Studies relating to red‐cell glycolysis in hereditary spherocytosis have been made by: (a) analysis of the phosphate compounds of fresh and incubated cells, (b) estimation of the activities of enzymes associated with glycolysis, and (c) estimation of the co‐enzymes NAD and NADH2 and of reduced glutathione. 2. The results do not support the theory that the basic abnormality in the hereditary spherocytic cell is due to a defect of glycolysis or phosphorylation. 3. It seems probable that the relatively minor changes in the phosphate compounds of the glycolytic pathway described by other authors and in this paper are secondary to a more basic defect, probably in the red‐cell membrane.