Sickle_Cell

Sickle Cell What is sickle cell anemia' Sickle cell anemia is an inherited disease of red blood cells. Normally red blood cells contain a protein called hemoglobin A, which carries oxygen to all the organs in the body. With sickle cell anemia, however, the body makes a different kind of protein, called hemoglobin S. The problem is that when a red blood cell with hemoglobin S releases oxygen, the cell changes from the usual doughnut shape to a sickle or S shape, and becomes stiff rather than soft and flexible like normal red blood cells. This "sickled cell," which resembles a crescent moon, can't continue to glide through the small blood vessels as usual. Instead, it gets stuck in the tiny blood vessels, blocking blood, cells, red, cell, sickle, body, through, shape, number, hemoglobin, anemia, vessels, usual, stuck, sickled, protein, oxygen, normal, low, called, becomes, anemic, word, total, tiny, though, stiff, squeeze, spleen, soft, small, side, responsible, resembles, releases