Scanning electron micrograph of normal red blood cell (background, colored red) and red blood cell affected by sickle-cell anaemia (foreground, colored tan). Sickle-cell anemia is a blood disease that causes the cell to form a characteristic sickle-shape. This change in shape affects the cell's ability to carry haemoglobin (an iron-rich protein that gives red blood cells their colour and allows for efficient oxygen transport). Sickle-cell anemia results in abnormal blood flow and a reduction in the red blood cell count. It is a genetic disorder that results when an individual has two copies of the relevant gene. It is common in countries in which malaria is prevalent, as carrying one copy of the sickle-cell gene provides advantageous resistance to malaria and is known as 'sickle-cell trait'.
B0007446 Wellcome Image Award winner 2009 Scanning electron micrograph. Wellcome Images available under the following creative commons usage http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/uk/
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