thalassemia

thal·as·se·mi·a   (thāl'ə-sē'mē-ə)    n.  An inherited form of anemia occurring chiefly among people of Mediterranean descent, caused by faulty synthesis of part of the hemoglobin molecule. [Greek thalassa, sea + -emia.] thal'as·se'mic adj.

Main Entry: thal·as·se·mia
Variant: or British thal·as·sae·mia /"thal-&-'sE-mE-&/
Function: noun
: any of a group of inherited hypochromic anemias and especially Cooley's anemia controlled by a series of allelic genes that cause reduction in or failure of synthesis of one of the globinchains making up hemoglobin and that tend to occur especially in individuals of Mediterranean, African, or southeastern Asian ancestry—sometimes used with a prefix (as alpha-, beta-, or delta-)to indicate the hemoglobin chain affected; called also Mediterranean anemia; —see BETA THALASSEMIA

thalassemia thal·as·se·mi·a (thāl'ə-sē'mē-ə)
n.
Any of a group of inherited forms of anemia occurring chiefly among people of Mediterranean descent, caused by faulty synthesis of part of the hemoglobin molecule.

thalassemia   (thāl'ə-sē'mē-ə)  Pronunciation Key  Any of a group of inherited forms of anemia occurring chiefly among people of Mediterranean descent, caused by faulty synthesis of part of the hemoglobin molecule

thalassemia

group of blood disorders characterized by a deficiency of hemoglobin, the blood protein that transports oxygen to the tissues. Hemoglobin is composed of a porphyrin compound (heme) and globin. Thalassemia is caused by genetically determined abnormalities in the synthesis of one or more of the polypeptide chains of globin. The various forms of the disorder are distinguished by different combinations of three variables: the particular polypeptide chain or chains that are affected; whether the affected chains are synthesized in sharply reduced quantities or not synthesized at all; and whether the disorder is inherited from one parent (heterozygous) or from both parents (homozygous)

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