On my mothers side, spherocytosis a rare disease of the RBC (red blood cell), which is dominant/recessive causes the normally spherical RBC to malform becoming more oval in appearance. A structural weakness in spectrin, ankyrin, Band 3, or Protein 4.2 cause the cell walls to become weaker, lowering the rate of oxygen turnover. Eventually the spleen which destroys old damaged RBCs starts to destroy the malformed RBCs at high rate which is called auto-hemolysis. Auto-hemolysis can kill people with spherocytosis and similar diseases if the spleen is not removed and immune system monitored closely. Bile build up in the gallbladder and anemia are prevalent symptoms of this hereditary disease.
For a brief overview check
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spherocytosis.
I have no idea if POIS and spherocytosis have any relation, which is why I am curious about your rare hereditary diseases as well, but if there is one I would guess it has to do with the malformed protein forming the cell wall of the RBCs. Does anyone know what active role if any protiens, spectrin, ankyrin, Band 3, or Protein 4.2 have in histamine release from a Mast Cell?
Poll