Test Detail

Osmotic Fragility, Erythrocyte

Osmotic fragility of Red Blood Cells (RBCs) refers to their susceptibility to rupturing (hemolysis) when exposed to solutions of decreasing salt concentration (hypotonic). The process is assessed via the Osmotic Fragility Test, which involves exposing RBCs to a range of saline solutions and measuring the degree of cell lysis. Abnormal fragility, indicating increased susceptibility to rupture, can diagnose conditions like hereditary spherocytosis, where RBCs have a poor surface area-to-volume ratio and are more easily damaged, impacting oxygen delivery