Sickle cell disease. A study case.

Marytere Garcia Escamilla                                                   
September 17,2010                                                                             
Sickle cell disease. A study case.                                      
www.maryteregarcia.blogspot.com

Sickle cell trait is a disease that occurs when a person inherits a normal hemoglobin gene from one parent and an affected hemoglobin gene from the other. Children with sickle cell trait usually don’t present symptoms but children who inherit the two hemoglobin genes affected suffer from sickle cell disease that can be a cause of death (Wellcome trust, 2005).

Biology’s objective is to find a cure or at least a way to protect people from it because of the fact that it has very dangerous consequences. Also the objective of biology is to know and comprehend more about the living things. Because of this, many sciences are needed to understand this complex disease. First, we need Chemistry to study the problems that are happening in the cells and that are affecting the organism. Then, we need Computer Science to process all the information that chemistry gave to us and to research even more in order to find more information about the problems that are occurring. We also need Math and Geography in order to know the quantity of people that are being affected with this disease and were is happening with more strength. Finally we need Ethics, because this is a very complex case and a lot of people are dying because of it and we need the moral help in order to keep the mind focused on the work without going for sentimentalisms but without forgetting the values.

Malaria disease starts with a parasite carried by mosquitoes, these pass it to the humans and then the parasite, in less than two weeks, destroys the red blood cells that carry oxygen.  Then the affected cells reproduce and affect other cells. Then the hemoglobin is affected and with it, all the organism. The consequences of this are that there is a mutation in the entire organism which is the cause of the disease in the body. But, as mentioned before, this disease can only be fatal if you carry both affected genes. If you only have one it is not probable for you to suffer a lot, but if you have the two infected genes, one of the consequences of the disease is death.

Proteins are involved in this disease because hemoglobin is a protein and it is being affected by this genetic disorder. The function of hemoglobin is to carry oxygen and carbon dioxide in red blood cells. Oxygenation is the process where hemoglobin pulls in oxygen and expels carbon dioxide and Deoxygenation is the contrary process, hemoglobin pulls in carbon dioxide and expels oxygen. The hemoglobin is round and flexible and that allows it to move easily inside the body.

There are being used many different methods to prevent this disease but we must have very clear our values because the methods sometimes are not ethical. For example, one of the methods that are used is that not all people can marry with the person they want just because they have one gene affected and if the other person is in the same case is very probable that one of their children will carry the disease. So the solution the government is applying is the mentioned before, that people can marry the person they want. This type of solution carries a lot of moral implications because nobody has the right to decide who you are or not getting married but on the other hand if you do get married with the other person that carries the affected gene you will be automatically predestinating one of your children to have the disease. In these cases is very necessary to stay focused and very impartial to the situation in order to see clearly and not to go for the sentimental part or the scientific part. You must take into account your values and your education.

In conclusion, Malaria is a very simple and complex disease, is easy to understand but at the same time is difficult to comprehend. We know which the scientific implications of this disease are, we know what causes it, we know which consequences it has, but we don’t know what is to have it so we cannot understand it in a 100%.

References

Wellcome trust (2005) Malaria and sickle cell trait URL: http://malaria.wellcome.ac.uk/doc_WTD023878.html  Last updated: 31/05/2005, last accessed: 16/09/2010