Miss X's Blood Test (Handout 4) Analysis

Questions

1. Compare the size, shape and color intensity of the red blood cells. Record your observations in the chart below.

2. Thinking about the function of hemoglobin and the shape of Miss X’s red blood cells, explain why Miss X has severe symptoms compared to her mother or a normal person.

The subject has severe symptoms since the function of hemoglobin is to transport oxygen to the body for aerobic respiration, and her red blood cells, are small and weak due to the color and distortion of shape. Compared to the mother and a normal person, the altered shape causes a protein to function improperly or not at all making her symptoms severe.

Written on April 7, 2008