Question

How is sickle cell anemia an example of a pleiotropy?

Answer 1

Let's talk about PLEIOTROPY, first.

PLEIOTROPY is where ONE gene affects MANY different traits, in an organism.

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Okay now let's talk about SICKLE CELL ANEMIA,
and how it happens, step by step.

1. One gene that's supposed to make our blood hemoglobin is MUTATED.
DIFFERENT from what it's supposed to be.

2. Because of this mutation, the person has SICKLE CELL ANEMIA.
This is where their red blood cells curl up into a weird shape,
and their blood cannot carry oxygen, the way it should.

And because their red blood cells have a weird shape,
they can also block up blood vessels.

3. Because their blood cannot carry enough oxygen,
and can block blood vessels,
other parts of the person's body can become damaged.
Like their heart, their bones, and their kidneys.

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So you see?

In Sickle Cell Anemia,
all it took was for ONE gene to become mutated.

And because of this ONE mutated gene,
MANY parts of the body were affected.

Again,
PLEIOTROPY is where ONE gene affects MANY different parts of the body.

Answer 2

sickle cell alleles affect various organ systems, such as the circulatory and respiratory systems