Figure 4-1. Hemoglobin consists of 2 β-globin proteins and 2 α-globin proteins. (Click image on right for larger version.) Illustration used with permission from McGraw-Hill. Sylvia S. Mader, Inquiry into Life, 8th ed. © 1997 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
The hemoglobin forms a lattice structure on the cytoplasmic side of the RBC plasma membrane; thus, affecting the shape of the RBC, as shown in Panels A, B, and C of Figure 4-2 below.
Figure 4-2. Three different RBC samples. The iron-containing heme group is pigmented. Cells with less heme have less pigmentation and are said to be hypochromic. Note: mature RBC lack a nucleus. Also note: The following image location is the reference for the 7 micron size of a normal red blood cell: http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/artificial-blood-7.jpg
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| Panel A: Normal sample | Panel B: Mrs. Williams’ sample | Panel C: Tazswana’s sample |
| Credit: Copyright © The American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science. Used with permission. | Credit: Donald Innes, M.D. Used with permission. | Credit: Donald Innes, M.D. Used with permission. |
1. Compare the size, shape and color intensity of the red blood cells. Record your observations in the chart below:
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| Panel A: Wild-type | Panel B: Mrs. Williams | Panel C: Tazswana | ||
| Size | ||||
| Shape | ||||
| Color Intensity | ||||
2. Thinking about the function of β-globin and the shape and color of Tazswana’s red blood cells, explain why Tazswana has severe symptoms compared to her mother or a normal person.
Originally published at http://www.sciencecases.org/tazswana/tazswana4.asp
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