Sickle Cell Anemia -basics (? #1)

OSickle cell anemia (or sickle-cell disease) is an inherited disorder of the red blood cells– it causes blood cells to collapse and distort into sickle shapes when oxygen is low.

Sickle Cells vs. Normal Red Blood Cells (? #2)

Normal hemoglobin (? #3 a,b)OHemoglobin is a

protein found in red blood cells.

OHemoglobin binds to oxygen and transports oxygen to all the cells in your body.

How is hemoglobin S different from hemoglobin A? (? #3c)What happens after hemoglobin S releases oxygen? (? #3d)O Hemoglobin A (normal) is different from

hemoglobin S by only one single component (amino acid)

O This small difference in structure causes the hemoglobin S to crystalize when oxygen is released.

O This causes the blood cells to collapse and form a sickle-shape.

What consequences to the sickle cells have on people with the disease? (? #5)

O Because of their shape, sickle cells cannot easily flow through small blood vessels.

O They get trapped and stop the flow of blood- preventing vital organs from getting blood.

O Sometimes small blood vessels burst causing internal bleeding and pain.

O Sickle cell animation

Symptoms of sickle-cell disease (? #4)

OJaundiceOAnemiaOPainODamaged

organs and organ failure

OStroke

Sickle cell anemia vs. ‘sickle cell trait’(? #6)

O People with Sickle cell trait SCT) are generally healthy, but carry one allele for the disease (heterozygous)O The alleles are co-dominant

O Thus, although not sick themselves, carriers could pass on the trait to children.

Test used to detect SCA/SCTO Change in single amino acid alters the shape and

electrical charge on the hemoglobinO Hemoglobin A is slightly MORE negative than

Hemoglobin SO This means in a gel, A will travel faster and farther

than S.

NPR Radio Article: NCAA and Sickle Cell Trait- Should

Athletes Get Tested?NPR: should testing be required?

O Title a page in your journal ‘NCAA and Sickle-Cell Trait’

O List key facts during the first round of listening.

O During the second round of listening, list reasons for and against getting tested for sickle-cell trait.