Sickle Cell Anemia essays

Sickle Cell Anemia essays Sickle-cell anemia also called sickle-cell disease is a hereditary disorder affecting hemoglobin, which is the oxygen carrying substance in red blood cells. This disease ends up decreasing the ability of the hemoglobin to send oxygen throughout the body. The sickle cells begin to clog up the blood vessels which tend to cause inflammation. Sickle-cell anemia relates to me because my cousin Kenny died from this fatal disease. When he died my family greatly changed. In this research, I will explain the causes of Sickle-cell anemia. Sickle-cell anemia is a hereditary disorder in which abnormal hemoglobin, a protein found in red blood cells, causes the cells to take abnormal sickle shapes. This disease usually affects African Americans. This disease will slowly lower the ability of the hemoglobin to transport oxygen in the body. The sickle cells may block the passageways of small blood vessels which will starve the many tissues they have to give oxygen to. The hemoglobin begins to form polymers that make the red blood cells stiff and fragile. Red blood cells are rounded which allow them to easily pass through the smallest blood vessels. Sickle shaped red blood cells clump easily. It will disrupt the normal flow of the blood. This takes the oxygen away from different tissues and organs. When they begin to sickle, its mostly because they carry an abnormal form of hemoglobin called hemoglobin S. We inherit a gene from each parent. You can either get two normal hemoglobin genes (HbA), one normal hemoglobin gene (HbS), or two abnormal HbS genes. This depends on their parents genes. If a person carries one HbS and one HbA gene, they have the sickle-cell trait or are carriers and may pass it on to their siblings. When a person inherits two abnormal HbS genes from each parent, they have sickle-cell disease and will start to show symptoms. The first crises usually start in the early childhood. Crises are cr...