National Sickle Cell Awareness Month Sickle-cell disease (SCD), or sickle-cell anaemia (SCA) or drepanocytosis, is a hereditary blood disorder, characterized by red blood cells that assume an abnormal, rigid, sickle shape. Sickling decreases the cells' flexibility and results in a risk of various complications. The sickling occurs because of a mutation in the haemoglobin gene. Individuals with one copy of the defunct gene display both normal and abnormal haemoglobin. This is an example of … [Read more...]
Sickle Cell Anaemia Month – September 2012
September 10, 2012 by
SICKLE CELL ANAEMIA MONTH SEPTEMBER 2012 Sickle-cell disease (SCD), or sickle-cell anaemia (or anemia, SCA) or drepanocytosis, is an autosomal recessive genetic blood disorder with overdominance, characterized by red blood cells that assume an abnormal, rigid, sickle shape. Sickling decreases the cells' flexibility and results in a risk of various complications. The sickling occurs because of a mutation in the hemoglobin gene. Life expectancy is shortened. In … [Read more...]
Biologist Bryan Ballif, Langereis & Junior blood type proteins
May 12, 2012 by
You probably know your blood type: A, B, AB or O. You may even know if you’re Rhesus positive or negative. But how about I tell you that in addition to those 2 systems (ABO and Rhesus), one could have as far as 28 other types in his blood? Intriguing, isn’t it? 28 in fact, until a week ago. The number has now grown to 30 with the discovery of 2 new blood types, raising the total, alongside the classics we know to 32 blood types discovered so far. MNS, Lewis, Duffy, Kidd, Kell are the … [Read more...]
