Sickle-Cell Disease

Definition

Sickle-cell disease is an inherited disorder where red blood cells become misshapen and break down more rapidly than normal, leading to anemia. It's caused by a mutation in the gene that codes for hemoglobin.

Analogy

Imagine if instead of soft, flexible doughnuts (which is what healthy red blood cells are like), your body started producing stiff, crescent-shaped croissants. These 'croissant' cells can't carry oxygen as efficiently or move around as easily as the 'doughnut' cells - this is similar to what happens in sickle-cell disease.

Related terms

Hemoglobin: The protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen; it's mutated in sickle-cell disease.

Mutation: A change in the DNA sequence that can lead to changes in the protein produced; the cause of sickle-cell disease.

Anemia: A condition where your body lacks enough healthy red blood cells to carry adequate oxygen to your tissues; a symptom of sickle-cell disease.