Tutorial Answer 3

As we use the terms in this course the correct answer would be (c). The problem is that the terminology has changed over the years as more detailed knowledge of the disease has emerged. Following modern convention, we will use "sickle cell anemia" to refer to the condition in which a person's red blood cells "sickle" when oxygen pressure in the medium surrounding the cells get very low. Sickle cell disease will refers to the severe condition in which the cells sickle in proportion to the reduction in oxygen or air pressure. While "sickle cell trait" refers to the mild condition in which cells sickle only when oxygen or air pressure become very low. Thus people with "sickle cell disease" and "sickle cell anemia" are both said to have "sickle cell trait", but two very distinct forms in terms of severity.