Sickle Cell Anemia

Taquila Clark Corp.
July 7, 2003
Research paper





rt into a sickle shape. Sickle Cell Anemia

Sickle Cell anemia is a group of inherited red blood cell disorders, or a collection of recessive genetic disorders characterized by a hemoglobin variant called Hb S. Normal red blood cells are round like doughnuts, and the move through small blood tubes in the body to deliver oxygen. Sickle red blood cells become hard, sticky and shape like sickles used to cut wheat. When these hard pointed red cells go through the small blood tube they clog the flow and break apart. This can cause pain, damage and a low blood count, or anemia. There is a substance in the red cell called hemoglobin that carries oxygen inside the cell. One little change in this substance causes the hemoglobin to form ling hard rigid rods change the red cell into a sickle shape.

At the time of conception, a person receives one set of genes from the mother and a corresponding set of genes from the father. Sickle...