Taking a Look at Sickle Cell Anemia

Sickle cell anemia is a blood disorder caused by abnormal protein genetics called hemoglobin. This protein is present in erythrocytes and its role is to transport oxygen into the blood. Usually, they are small spheres in red blood cells, but hemoglobin from sickle cell anemia may become long chain. These abnormal chains grow red blood cells where they are located longer and become sickled (crescent shaped).

Sickle cell anemia is a blood disorder affecting erythrocytes. Normal red blood cells are round. In people with sickle cell anemia, substances in hemoglobin - erythrocytes - become incomplete, changing the shape of erythrocytes. Defective hemoglobin called hemoglobin S (HgbS) replaces normal hemoglobin called hemoglobin A (HgbA). As time goes on, red blood cells become hard, shaped like crescent shaped satellites and sickles. In the United States, the disease is most common among African Americans (about 1 in 400 African Americans) and Caribbean Hispanics (1 in 1,000 to 1,400 Hispanics). The disease is seen all over the world in the Arab, Greek, Italian, Sardinian, Turkish, Maltese, South Asian breeds.

Sickle cell anemia (sickle cell disease) is a hematological disorder caused by hereditary abnormal hemoglobin (oxygenated protein in erythrocytes). Abnormal hemoglobin causes distorted (sickle) red blood cells. Sickle red blood cells are very fragile and fragile. When the number of erythrocytes declines from rupture (hemolysis), the result is anemia. This condition is called sickle cell anemia. Irregular sickle cells also block blood vessels and cause damage and pain in tissues and organs.