SICKLE CELL PREPARATION.

 INTRODUCTION

A sickle cell preparation is a blood test done to check for sickle cell disease and sickle cell trait. 

SICKLE CELL DISEASE.

Sickle cell disease is a hemozygous inherited blood disease that causes red blood cells to be deformed because they contain an abnormal type of heamoglobin called heamoglobin-S instead of the normal heamoglobin.

In which baby make sickle red blood cells, sickle mean that the red blood cells are C shaped.

SICKLE CELL TRAIT.

Sickle cell trait is a heterozygous condition (Hb S-A). The red cell of patient contain 20-40% of Hb-S and 60-80% of Hb-A.

Comparison

Sickle cell disease is more severe than sickle cell trait.

In sickle cell disease symptoms are appear but in case of sickle cell trait patient live normal life without symptoms.

PRINCIPLE

Whole blood is mixed with sodium metabisulfate, It is a strong reducing agent. Those are repidly reduce oxyhemoglobin to reduced heamoglobin, if the blood contain Hb-S they become sickle (C) shaped.

REQUIREMENTS

• EDTA Blood
• 2% sodium metabisulfate
• Pasture pipette
• Petroleum jelly
• Slide
• Applicator stick.

PROCEDURE

1. Place one drop of blood in the center of glass slide.
2. Add 1-2 drop of 2%  sodium metabisulfate to the drop of blood.
3. Mix well with an applicator stick.
4. Place a coverslip on the top of the mixture and press down lightly on it to remove any air bubble. And form a thin layer of the mixture.
5. Wipe of the excess sample.
6. Seal the rims of coverslip with petroleum jelly. This sealing help to avoid entry of oxygen inside the coverslip.
7. Examine the slide after one hour using 40X objective lens.

OBSERVATION