Term Paper on "Sickle Cell"
Term Paper 4 pages (1267 words) Sources: 1+
[EXCERPT] . . . .
Sickle cell anemia is an inherited blood disorder in which hemoglobin is defective (Genetic disease profile: Sickle cell anemia). After hemoglobin molecules give up their oxygen, some cluster together and form long, rod-like structures. These structures cause red blood cells to become stiff and assume a sickle shape that makes it difficult for them to squeeze through small blood vessels. As a result, they stack up and cause blockages that deprive organs and tissues of oxygen-carrying blood.Sickle cell anemia affects millions world wide (Genetic disease profile: Sickle cell anemia). It is the most common among people whose ancestors come from sub-Saharan Africa; Spanish-speaking regions (South America, Cuba, Central America); Saudi Arabia; India; and Mediterranean countries such as Turkey, Greece, and Italy. In the Unites States, it affects around 72,000 people, most of whose ancestors come from Africa. The disease occurs in about one in every 500 African-American births and one in every 1000 to 1400 Hispanic-American births. About two million Americans, or one in twelve African-Americans, carry the sickle cell trait.
Genotypic Expressions
People have twenty-two identical chromosome pairs with one of each pair inherited from the father, and one from the mother (How does sickle cell cause disease?, 2002). Mutation involving gene alteration in the exchange between a parent and child occurs only rarely. Most likely, sickle cell disease depends on inherited genes from parents' the disease cannot be caught, acquired or otherwise transmitted. The disease is caused by a change in a single amino acid difference in the beta chain of hemoglobin. (Malaria, sickle
download full paper ⤓
Individuals with two copies of the sickle form of the gene have sickle cell anemia (Malaria, sickle cell anemia and balancing selection). Heterozygotes -- individuals with one normal and one mutant copy of the sickle gene -- appear normal and do not manifest the disease except under very stressful conditions. However, these individuals are carriers of the sickle cell trait. Approximately ten percent of African-Americans are carriers. In Africa and India, the frequencies of the disease and carriers are even higher de to protection against malaria that occurred for people with sickle cell trait discussed later in this paper.
Beta globin is a major component of adult hemoglobin and its gene is located on chromosome 11 with more than 475 allelic variants (Ashley-Koch, Yang, and Olney, 2000). One of these variants, sickle hemoglobin (Hb S), is responsible for sickle cell disease. The most influential risk factor for disease severity is genotype (Sickle cell anemia - description). Individuals who are homozygous for the sickle beta globin gene (b S) have sickle cell anemia (SS disease). Individuals with sickle beta thalassemia have a b S. gene and a gene for beta thalassemia. If no beta globin is produced by the beta thalassemia gene, the individual has Sb o thalassemia (Sb o thal). If some normal beta globin is produced by the thalassemia gene, the individual has Sb + thalassemia (Sb + thal). In the case of hemoglobin (SC disease), the individual has two abnormal beta globin genes, b S. And b C, and makes two abnormal hemoglobins, Hb S. And Hb C.
Phenotypic Expressions
There are several phenotypes associated with the homozygous sickle genotype (Hemoglobinopathies, 1998). Sickle cell anemia refers to a recessive gene condition in which a person has inherited two genes for hemoglobin S, one from each parent. If two parents who are carriers have a child, there is a one-in-four chance of their child developing the illness and a one-in-two chance of their child just being a carrier. (Sickle cell anemia, Wikipedia). Children who receive one abnormal gene and one normal gene usually have no symptoms and are said to have sickle cell trait. The next two phenotypes, blood cell sickling and altered beta-globin electrophoretic mobility involve partially dominant genes… READ MORE
Quoted Instructions for "Sickle Cell" Assignment:
Question:
Sickle Cell Anemia is a hereditary disease which kills all who have it, yet it is still prevalent
in certain human populations. How is this possible? Why hasn’t the gene responsible been
eliminated from the human gene pool?
In order to discuss this issue intelligibly, it will first be necessary to explain what Sickle Cell
Anemia is and how it is inherited. You should begin your essay by describing in detail the Sickle
Cell mutation, the genotypic and phenotypic expressions of the Sickle Cell and normal alleles,
and the pattern of inheritance of Sickle Cell Anemia. This will provide the necessary
background for your discussion of the main question: how natural selection acts to maintain the
Sickle Cell allele at a relatively high frequency in some human populations. Also, how does
natural selection act to increase and decrease the Sickle Cell allelic frequency in different
environments? For example, suppose that in a population with a history of Malaria, Malaria was
finally eradicated. What would happen to the frequency of the Sickle Cell allele in that
population? Why?
Make sure the esssay includes the following important points:
Origin of the Sickle Cell mutation-
Brief, but detailed and clear, explanation of the mutation and the change
in amino acid sequence in hemoglobin molecule.
Mode of Inheritance-
An explanation of the 3 possible genotypes matched with the 3 possible
phenotypes. An example of the expected proportion of genotypes in the
offspring of any mating pair.
Selection and Sickle Cell-
An explanation of how malaria acts to maintain the presence of the Sickle
Cell allele in certain human populations via natural selection. Should
include an explanation of heterozygote advantage, balance polymorphism
and expected effect on allele frequencies.
Explanation of how allele frequencies are expected to change in human
populations recently released from selective pressure due to malaria.
How to Reference "Sickle Cell" Term Paper in a Bibliography
“Sickle Cell.” A1-TermPaper.com, 2005, https://www.a1-termpaper.com/topics/essay/sickle-cell-anemia/380650. Accessed 28 Sep 2024.
Related Term Papers:
Gene Therapy Treatment in Sickle Cell Disease Annotated Bibliography
Sickle Gene
Gene Therapies for Sickle Cell Anemia: Annotated Bibliography
Kohn, D. & Candotti, F. (2009). Gene therapy fulfilling its promise. NEJM 360(5): 518-21. This brief and relatively broad review… read more
Annotated Bibliography 4 pages (1128 words) Sources: 7 Topic: Genetics / DNA / Genes / Heredity
Sickle Cell Anemia Definition and Description Succinct Term Paper
Sickle Cell Anemia
Definition and description succinct outline of sickle cell anemia is as follows.
Sickle cell anemia is an inherited blood disorder characterized primarily by chronic anemia and periodic… read more
Term Paper 11 pages (3168 words) Sources: 1+ Topic: Disease / Virus / Disorder / Injury
Sickle Cell Disease Term Paper
Sickle cell disease or Sickle Cell Anemia (as it used to be called) is a disease of the red blood cells, which in inherited. It was first reported in Western… read more
Term Paper 10 pages (2708 words) Sources: 1+ Topic: Disease / Virus / Disorder / Injury
Sickle Cell Disease Term Paper
Sickle cell disease is a severely debilitating genetic disorder that has no real cure except the risky bone marrow transplantation. Pharmacological interventions are thus largely focused on symptomatic management and… read more
Term Paper 8 pages (2291 words) Sources: 5 Style: APA Topic: Disease / Virus / Disorder / Injury
Sickle Cell Anemia Is a Genetic, Life-Long Term Paper
Sickle cell anemia is a genetic, life-long condition which causes defected red blood cells, which form sickle cell shapes upon becoming deoxygenated, rather than maintaining the usual disc shape. The… read more
Term Paper 3 pages (919 words) Sources: 2 Style: MLA Topic: Disease / Virus / Disorder / Injury
Sat, Sep 28, 2024
If you don't see the paper you need, we will write it for you!
We can write a new, 100% unique paper!