What describes the shape of a sickle cell?

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Multiple Choice

What describes the shape of a sickle cell?

Explanation:
The change being tested is how sickle cell disease alters red blood cell shape. When hemoglobin S is deoxygenated, it polymerizes and distorts the cell into a crescent or sickle shape. Normal red blood cells are round and biconcave, flexible discs, so the characteristic abnormal form is crescent-shaped. That’s why the correct description is crescent. The other options don’t match the distinctive deformation: square isn’t a shape red cells take, round describes normal cells, and oval isn’t the typical sickle cell appearance.

The change being tested is how sickle cell disease alters red blood cell shape. When hemoglobin S is deoxygenated, it polymerizes and distorts the cell into a crescent or sickle shape. Normal red blood cells are round and biconcave, flexible discs, so the characteristic abnormal form is crescent-shaped. That’s why the correct description is crescent. The other options don’t match the distinctive deformation: square isn’t a shape red cells take, round describes normal cells, and oval isn’t the typical sickle cell appearance.

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