Factor required for erythrocyte stability: March 2010

Ans. D: All of the aboveThe membrane skeleton of RBC is made up in pa of spectrin and is anchored to the transmembrane protein band 3 by the protein ankyrin. Band 3 is also an impoant anion exchanger.The susceptibility of red cells to hemolysis is increased by deficiency of the enzyme glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD), which catalyzes the initial step in the oxidation of glucose the hexose monophosphate pathway. This pathway generates NADPH, which is needed for the maintenance of normal red cell fragilityHereditary spherocytosis is caused by abnormalities of the protein network that maintains the shape and flexibility of the red cell membrane.