Sickle cell anemia is an inherited form of anemia where an individual has either a lack of red blood cell or dysfunctional blood cell, resulting in a lack of oxygen and nutrients to the cells. Normally, a red blood cell would be round, flexible, and flat in the center to allow easy passage in the blood vessels. However, the individual with sickle cell anemia will have cells that are rigid, sticky, and shaped like a crescent or sickle which is where the name comes from. Because of its unique shape, the cells are prone to piling up and getting stuck inside small blood vessel which can slow or block the flow of blood and oxygen to the rest of the body. Sickle cell anemia is caused by a base substitution mutation when a single base
