G^bG mice that underwent transplantation after myeloablative conditioning, which resulted in correction of functional RBC parameters in primary and secondary mice. (A) Peripheral blood smears showing numerous irreversibly sickled cells (ISCs) in a mouse that underwent mock transplantation and a paucity of ISCs in a G^bG mouse. (B) Quantification of ISCs in peripheral blood smears of BERK mice that did not undergo transplantation (n = 5), mock mice (n = 3), and G^bG mice (n = 5). (*P < .05; **P < .01). (C) Deoxygenation of blood induces sickling of RBCs in a mock mouse; sickling is largely absent in a G^bG mouse. (D) Quantification of sickle RBCs upon graded hypoxia (by tonometry) in the G^bG mice (●), compared with mock mice (○). (E) RBC deformability by LORCA analysis in G^bG, mock, and normal mice (C57, ⊗) analyzed at 18 weeks in primary transplant recipients. Similar data were seen in secondary recipients (data not shown). Flow at low (3 Pa) and high (28 Pa) shear stress is represented by shaded areas. (F) RBC half-life (determined by in vivo biotin labeling) in the G^bG mice, mock/BERK mice, and normal mice after primary transplantations. Similar results were seen in secondary recipients (data not shown).