Final answer:
Hereditary spherocytosis is due to an inherited defect in the cytoskeleton of red blood cells, which can lead to hemolytic anemia.
Step-by-step explanation:
Hereditary spherocytosis is an inherited genetic condition that affects the red blood cells (RBCs). The defect is in the cytoskeleton of the RBCs, specifically in the proteins that make up the cytoskeleton such as spectrin and ankyrin. These proteins help maintain the biconcave shape of normal red blood cells, and when they are defective, the cells become spherical and fragile, leading to hemolytic anemia.