Sickle Cell Anemia

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Sickle Cell Anemia

Introduction

Sickle cell anemia is categorized by a change in the form of red blood cells from a flat ring to a sickle shape, because of abnormal hemoglobin S. The malformed cells do not have sufficient flexibility, thus they clog tiny blood vessels, impairing blood flow. This decreases the capability of the hemoglobin to carry oxygen throughout the body and results in reduced red blood cells and cause anemia, which is often called sickle-cell anemia. Patients of sickle cell disease suffer from several bacterial infections, necrosis (tissue death), chronic and acute pain syndromes.

Sickle cell anemia can occur in a child, if the mother and the father both carry the trait for this disease. The inheritance of two of the trait genes one from each parent in the child will result in the disease. In sickle cell anemia, the amount of red blood cells present is lesser than normal because sickle shaped cells do not last for long and live for about 15 to 20 days. The bone marrow is unable to make red blood cells as faster to recover the dying ones. (Redding &Knoll, 2006)

Discussion

Sickle cell anemia is named after the change in the shape of red blood cells. This change is caused because of a typical type of hemoglobin called hemoglobin S. The hemoglobin molecules in each red blood cell carry oxygen from the lungs to various tissues and organs, and then carbon dioxide is expelled through the lungs. In the presence of sickle cell anemia, this course is disturbed. (Gladwin & Vichinsky, 2008)

When the hemoglobin molecules give up their oxygen, some of them can come together and turn into elongated, rod-like structures that become inflexible and adopt a sickle shape (a crescent). The sickled red cells cannot contract to pass through small blood vessels like the normal red blood cells which are donut-shaped and usually smooth. Instead, they accumulate and result in blockages that do not let the oxygen carrying blood reach organs and tissues.

Causes of Sickle Cell Anemia

There are several types of sickle cell disease and sickle cell anemia is the most common one. Sickle cell disease is the result of a genetic defect, occurs in the gene for hemoglobin. Disease of sickle cell is inherited from parents, such as blood type, hair color, eyes and other genetic traits. When a baby receives two abnormal Hemoglobin S genes, one from each parent, he has sickle-cell disease, and the signs of the disease are shown. The partners with the disease have only abnormal Hemoglobin S genes to pass on to their children. (Muin &Wylie 2008)

A sickle cell crisis is a result of formation of clumps of red blood cells in the bloodstream. These clumps block the way of blood flow in tiny vessels of the organs resulting in organ damage and pain, which can be severe and long lasting.

Mendelian Genetics

The mendelian genetics is a set of concepts to explain the inheritance and biological diversity. According to the doctrines of Gregor Mendel, regarding the ...