Sickle Cell Disease

Sicle Cell Anemia

Sickle Cell Anemia is an inherited blood disorder. It results in the abnormal shaping of red blood cells in the body. The red blood cells roll into a conic or 'sickle' shape. This makes it difficult for red blood cells, and therefore, nutrients to travel through smaller blood vessles. When this happens the deprived tissue suffers damage and starts to die. This is the primary compication of sickle cell.

Going in Depth

The main substance of a red blood cell is called Hemoglobin. There is a normal type of Hemoglobin (Hemoglobin A)that makes up the typical red blood cell. Normal cells are round, squishy, and carry oxygen to parts of the body. Sickle cell disease infected cells, however, have Hemoglobin C or S. These are both abnormal types of hemoglobin that are a cause for the abnormal shape and properties of the cell.

Inheriting Sickle Cell

The gene for Sickle Cell is inherited from parents in about the same ways as any other trait. It all depends on whether or not the parents of the child have the trait to begin with. Hemoglobin genes, where the disease originates from, comes in two sets (one from each parent). Statistics on inheriting the disease are as follows:

1. If one parent has Sickle Cell Anemia and the other is Normal, all of the children will have sickle cell trait.
2. If one parent has Sickle Cell Anemia and the other has Sickle Cell Trait, there is a 50% chance (or 1 out of 2) of having a baby with either sickle cell disease or sickle cell trait with each pregnancy.
3. When both parents have Sickle Cell Trait, they have a 25% chance (1 of 4) of having a baby with sickle cell disease with each pregnancy. (as seen above)

Testing

A simple blood test can confirm whether or not you are a carrier of the trait. A special procedure called Hemoglobin Electrophoresis can determine if you have the distinct hemoglobin gene for Sickle Cell to occur. When you pass electric charges though hemoglobin, certain types will move differently and in different direction/distances. By measuring how far or which way hemoglobin of your blood moves we can see which type of Hemoglobin you have.

Treatment

Because Sickle Cell disease affects the kidneys, liver, and other organs associated with the purifying of the blood, sickle cell patients take many antibiotics, and get vaccinations against bacteria which could spread rapidly. Blood transfusions are also another means of sickle cell patients help fight the disease. They reduce recurrent pain and cut the risk of stroke in sickle cell patients, but ontant blood transfusions, however, can make blood-iron content reach toxic levels.

Organizations

The SCDAA or Sickle Cell Disease Association of America is a prominent organization that specializes in the aid of Sickle Cell research and treatment. You can visit their website at http://www.sicklecelldisease.org/index.phtml.

Quiz
1. What are the chances of someone having sickle cell if one parent has sickle cell anemia and the other has the sickle cell trait?
2. What is the name of the procedure to tell if you have the hemoglobin for Sickle Cell?
3. What happens during this procedure?
4. How are a sickle cell infected cell and a normal cell different?
5.What is the name of the organization that deals with Sickle Cell disease?

Bibliograhy

Sickle Cell Disease Association of America -- SCDAA Home. Web. 23 Mar. 2010. http://www.sicklecelldisease.org/.