Description
A protein called hemoglobin is found in healthy red blood cells, which allows the body to transport oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body. Sickle cells contain an atypical form of hemoglobin called sickle hemoglobin or hemoglobin S. This abnormal protein causes the red blood cells to take on a crescent, or sickle, shape. Unlike healthy blood cells, sickle cells cannot move easily through veins, which can cause the blood flow to become blocked. Normal red blood cells can live around 120 days, but sickle cells can only live about 10 to 20. The bone marrow, whose job is to make new red blood cells, cannot produce new cells fast enough to replace the dying ones. This is why the disease is considered a form of anemia, a type of disease that is classified by abnormally low red blood cell levels. |
genetic disorders research project
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