Through the Microscope: Blood Cells - Life's Blood

Sickle cell anemia

Sickle cell anemia occurs primarily in people of African heritage, with the disease state occurring in 1 out of 400 African-Americans and the trait occurring in 1 out of 12.

Hemoglobin S is an abnormal hemoglobin that causes sickling of the red blood cells under conditions of reduced oxygen concentration. If hemoglobin S is inherited from both parents (homozygous), the offspring are said to have sickle cell anemia. If hemoglobin S is inherited from one parent (heterozygous), the offspring will have sickle cell trait.

View cells seen in sickle cell anemia

• Sickle cells
• Howell-Jolly bodies
• Target cells