Discovering Sicke Cell Anemia Essay -- essays research papers

Discovering Sicke Cell Anemia The topic that I am learning about is Sickle Cell Anemia, a hereditary disease which affects red blood cells. Throughout this research paper, I will discuss what exactly it is, how it is caused, any known treatments or cures, and many other facts that are important in this disease. Sickle Cell Anemia is a health problem throughout the world. More than 250,000 babies are born worldwide with this inherited blood cell disorder (http://www.medaccess.com/h_child/sickle/sca_01.htm). The disorder causes red blood cells to extend into a sickle shape which clogs the arteries.Persistant pain and life-threatening infections result from the illness. About one in 400 black newborns in the U.S. have sickle cell anemia. And one in 12 black Americans carry the sickle cell trait (http://www.medaccess.com/h_ child/sickle/sca_01.htm). This leaves a good chance that the parent with the trait can pass the defect onto offspring although their own health is not harmed. The cause of sickle cell anemia is rather simple but it leaves a life threatening affect. Anyone who carries the inherited trait for sickle cell anemia, but doesn't have the disorder, is actually protected from a severe form of malaria. This helped the children in countries where malaria was a problem, to be able to survive against that disease. What happened to those children? They grew up, had their own children and ended up passing the gene for sickle cell anemia onto their offspring. This disease is a hereditary blood disorder that affects the red blood cell. Red blood cells contain a protein called hemoglobin which transports oxygen from your lungs to every part of your body. Hemoglobin's oxygen carrying ability is essential for living but if there is a structural defect on the pigmented molecule, it can be fatal. When a normal red blood cell distributes its oxygen, it has a disc shape. But when an affected red blood cell containing sickle cell hemoglobin releases its oxygen, the image of the cell changes from a disc shape to a sickled shape. In hemoglobin, there are four chains of amino acids. Two are know as alpha chains, and two are called beta chains. In a normal hemoglobin, the amino acid in the sixth position on the beta chain is known as glutamic acid (refer to diagram 1.1 on page 6). During sickle cell anemia, the glutamic acid is pushed out of its place and replaced wi... ...ease, I have learned many new details about it. I realized that even the slightest change in the sequence of amino acids can lead to very harmful effects. In this disease, only one amino acid was substituted and still the illness is very harsh. I also learned how exactly the cells deform and why they go into a sickle shape. It was very interesting to learn that the disease mostly effects African Americans. I also learned that when the sickles get clogged in an artery, it results in a very painful attack on the person and may cause them to have an episode. When episodes occur, the patient may have to go into a hospital for pain killers. The disease also can lead to ulcers, strokes, paralysis, decay of tissues, and many other problems throughout the persons entire life. Sickle Cell Anemia is a very serious disease that effects a person and there way of life. It doesn't have a known cure yet but many treatments and therapy are available. If a person has this disease, it is life-threatening and painful attacks can occur at any time, anywhere. It is important to know the causes and reasons for the disease so that you can relate to what a person with Sickle Cell Anemia is going through.