Sickle Cell Cause Disease

Sickle-cell anemia is an illness in which the shape of red blood cells is altered to a sickle-like shape (Peachley, n.d.). It is basically the sickling of erythrocytes. The protein molecule, hemoglobin, is the reason for this altered shape. Hemoglobin is found on red blood cells and it is used to provide oxygen to tissues (Peachley, n.d.). In sickle-cell anemia the altered shape of the red blood cells prevent them from passing through blood vessels and this will result in an inadequate amount of oxygen being delivered to tissues in the body (Peachley, n.d.). Sickle cell anemia was discovered because of gel electrophoresis, which is a method that evaluates the charges of the hemoglobin. Gel electrophoresis, the inheritance pattern, and hemoglobin

Sickle cell anemia is something, which must be inherited, and this means that your family can only pass it onto you in the basis of genes, which are located on chromosomes (How does sickle cell cause disease, 2002). Genes are apart of the DNA molecule that codes for specific proteins (How does sickle cell cause disease, 2002). In relation to sickle cell anemia, these genes control the production of the beta globin subunit of hemoglobin (How does sickle cell cause disease, 2002). With regards to the heredity of this illness, chromosomes are a key factor (How does sickle cell cause disease, 2002). There are twenty-two pairs of human chromosomes, which are identical, with one of each of these twenty-two pairs coming from the mother, whereas the other are inherited from the father (How does sickle cell cause disease, 2002). The alteration of a gene on one of these chromosomes is called a mutation, and this is the reason why sickle cell disease is inherited (How does sickle cell cause disease, 2002). Specifically, sickle cell anemia is caused by a point mutation. A point mutation is when a single nucleotide is changed within the DNA (Sickle cell anemia and genetics, 2000). A visual representation of this is represented in figure 2. With regards to this illness, the one nucleotide, which is changed, is called glutamic acid (Sickle cell anemia and genetics, 2000). Glutamic acid is changed into

This illness results in decreased oxygen levels for the individuals who have it. The inheritance of sickle cell anemia is a key factor in its survival, with only those homozygous for this mutation being unfortunate enough to get it. In terms of how sickle cell impacts individuals, hemoglobin is the molecule, which plays the largest role, as its function is greatly hindered. Fortunately, there are some methods in development in order to get rid of this illness once and for