HbSC RBCs exhibit distinct deformability profiles in osmotic or oxygen gradient ektacytometry. (A) Representative LoRRca osmoscan profiles for a 4-month-old HbAA mouse showing key indices. (B) Average osmoscan curves for HbAA, HbSC, and HbSS mice showing a leftward shift with HbSS (red) and HbSC (blue) compared to HbAA (green) mice. (C) Significant reduction of O_hyper in HbSC and HbSS mice compared to HbAA mice. (D) Reduced area under curve (AUC) in HbSC and HbSS mice. (E) Reduced EI_max in HbSC and HbSS mice. (F) Representative LoRRca oxygenscan profiles for 4-month-old HbAA, HbSC, and HbSS mice. (G) Significant decrease of EI_max in HbSC and HbSS mice. (H) Significant reduction in point of sickling at which the EI decreases to 95% of EI_max in HbSC vs HbSS mice. (I) Significant reduction of EI_min in HbSC and HbSS mice. (J) Persistent increase in deformability of RBCs from HbSC mice after deoxygenation-reoxygenation (HbAA, n = 10; HbSC, n = 12; HbSS, n = 6). Comparisons to HbAA mice are indicated in black; comparisons between HbSC and HbSS mice are indicated in blue. Data are presented as mean ± standard deviation. ∗P < .05; ∗∗P < .01; ∗∗∗P < .001. ns, no significance.