LeAnn Beason Anatomy & Physiology Period: 3 What is the cause of The Sickle Cell Anemia?

In the United States, it has been a mystery as in what is the cause of the sickle cell anemia. Sickle cell anemia, an inherited blood disorder is mostly found in African Americans and individuals who live in the Middle East. Many say that it is caused by the environment you live in, but I believe that patients who have sickle cell anemia inherited from their parents or had an unexpected change in their blood gene. According to Catherine M. Brion, (1997) in her article states that sickle cell anemia was caused by a single base pair change in codon 6 of the beta globin gene. She discovered this by testing on mice. She injected three fragments of human DNA into the mice fertile eggs and found that the mice showed similar symptoms to human individuals who suffers from the sickle cell anemia. Symptoms that were shown were the increase of heart and kidney weight, tissue damage and the increase of erythrocytes. Even though sickle cell anemia is caused by a mutation, or an accidental switch in the blood gene, it can also be inherited. Parents who suffer or carriers the sickle cell anemia normally do not know that carry it. As a result, they most likely pass it down to their children. On April 4, 2007, in the Africa News Service, a sickle cell patient by the name of Annie Mbi open up and tell how she was diagnosed with the sickle cell anemia. In Douala, The national

Association of Sickle Cell Patients started a one week program to educate people on the causes of sickle cell anemia and how to prevent it. Annie Mbi is a participant in the program. Annie Mbi tells how if two parents has the AS gene they are most likely to have children with the SS gene or sickle cell gene. She also states that patients who suffer from the disease undergo pain mainly in their joints and anemia. Patients are subscribed pain killers and if the pain becomes too severe the patients are rushed to the hospital to be medicated to ease the pain. Many sickle cell carries die before the age of 21, but if they are taking good care of themselves some can live a normal life. Annie Mbi, a mother of four is 37 years old and is married to a man with sickle cell anemia. Because of this, their children have inherited the disease as well. A psychopathologist named Dr. Njingwe said that

The sickle cell is an incurable disease which is hereditary and is caused by gene mutation. It is a
strange cell which has a shape contrary to other cells in the gene. He explained that during the crisis, the hemoglobin which is the red blood cell circulates through the veins and the strange 'S'- like cell causes obstruction. When the red blood cell reaches the tiny veins it gets blocked and dies. This is the cause of the serious pain and it causes a drop in the percentage of blood leading to anemia. I truly agree with

this. Sickle cell anemia is a serious disease and must be treated well. I believe if patients are keep medicated with the right medication and dose, the pain will be at ease and patients will live longer. Sickle cell carriers should always make sure that their mate is not diagnosed and children as well. Sickle cell anemia should be taking care of seriously.

Work Cited Page

Brion, Catherine M., et al. "Transgenic knockout mice with exclusively human sickle hemoglobin and sickle cell disease." Science 278.5339 (1997): 876+. Gale Science in Context. Web. 11 Sep. 2012

"Sickle Cell Patients Open Up." Africa News Service 4 Apr. 2007. Gale Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 11 Sep. 2012.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/37032605/Newborn-Hypothermia-and-Hyperthermia-Final-Copy