A 7 year-old girl is brought to your office by her dad for the evaluation of weakness and fatigue. Dad reports that some of their family relatives have a genetic blood disorder. Physical examination is significant for scleral icterus and splenomegaly. Laboratory test results demonstrate hemolytic anemia, increased mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, reticulocytosis, normal mean corpuscular volume, and an increased red blood cell osmotic fragility. You suspect hereditary spherocytosis based on the history, physical examination and laboratory test reports. Which of the following best explains the pathology of this disease?
