Sickle cell anemia is caused by a mutation in the allele that is responsible for hemoglobin. It is abnormal hemoglobin known as Hemoglobin S. 2This trait can only be inherited therefore, if two heterozygous parents for this trait were to mate, there is a possibility that the child will have sickle cell anemia.
Hemoglobin is a specialized iron-containing protein found in red blood cells. His protein binds with oxygen to help in the process of gas exchange and it also binds with a little carbon dioxide when receiving carbon dioxide from body tissue. 6Mutated hemoglobin causes the shape of red blood cells to deform into a sickle shape. Since the sickle cell is less flexible and stiffer, it makes traveling through the red blood vessels extremely difficult and it breaks into pieces that disrupt healthy blood flow. The sickle shape slows down the speed of the red blood cells. All together, the sickle shaped cells start clogging vessels and result in organs being deprived of oxygen and having an abundance of carbon dioxide.
Causes of the sickle cell disease
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