Question

Alleles for Sickle Cell Anemia occur at higher rates in some populations compared to others. Here, please explain what Sickle Cell Anemia is, how it is inherited, and why in spite of any negative side effects has it persisted as a trait among humans. Be as detailed as possible. You may even include a punnet square in your answer.

Answer 1

Sickle cell anemia is a disease in which the body produces abnormally shaped red blood cells that have a crescent or sickle shape. These blood cells do not last as long as normal, round, red blood cells, thus leading to anemia. The sickle cells also get stuck in blood vessels, which blocks the blood flow.Signs and symptoms of sickle cell disease usually begin in early childhood and includes anemia, repeated infections, and periodic episodes of pain (called crises). This condition is caused by mutations in the HBB gene. Treatment typically includes controlling symptoms andand use of pain relieving medicines during crises- hydroxyurea to reduce the number of pain episodes,antibiotics and vaccines to prevent bacterial infections and blood transfusions.Sickle cell anemia is inherited in an autosomal recessive disorder, which means that both copies of the gene in each cell have mutations. The parents of an individual with an autosomal recessive condition each carry one copy of the mutated gene, and do not show signs and symptoms of the condition.In sickle cell anemia, a person who carries one copy of the mutated gene is said to be a carrier for the condition or bearer of the sickel cell trait. When two people who are carriers of an autosomal recessive condition have a child, there is a 25% (1 in 4) chance that the child will have the condition, a 50% (1 in 2) chance that the child will be a carrier like each of the parents, and a 25% (1 in 4) chance that the child will not have the condition and not be a carrier.