Sickle cell
anemia is a disease in which the body makes red blood cells shaped like a "C" (sickle) rather than their normal disc shape. These abnormal red blood cells are less flexible and can cause various complications.
Anemia
Sickle cell anemia is a specific type of anemia. Anemia may be any condition the concentration of blood cells is lower than normal or the blood cells carry less than the average amount of hemoglobin.
Duration
Red blood cells normally last for 120 days, while sickle cells only last for 10 to 20 days. The red bone marrow is therefore unable to replace red blood cells quickly enough.
Inheritance
Sickle cell anemia is an inherited disease. Children will have a 25 percent chance of having sickle cell anemia if both parents are sickle cell carriers.
Survival Value
Sickle anemia has a survival value against malaria. Carriers of sickle cell anemia have blood cells that are partially sickled, which makes them resistant to the malaria plasmodium.
Prognosis
Sickle cell anemia is currently only curable with bone marrow transplants in a small number of cases. The goal of most treatments is to extend the life span of the patient.
Tags: blood cells, cell anemia, sickle cell, bone marrow, last days, Sickle cell, Sickle cell