Abstract
Microscopic studies of red cells from homozygous sickle cell patients show that dichloromethane does prevent sickle cell formation in vitro and does cause reversion of sickled cells to normal after exposure to dichloromethane. X-ray structural analysis of human deoxyHb crystals exposed to dichloromethane shows 4 unique binding sites. Arguments are presented to suggest that the binding site close to tryptophan 14.alpha. prevents the formation of helical polymers, i.e., prevent sickling.