Defining Thalassemia

Defining Alpha Thalassemia

  • Alpha thalassemia demonstrates problems with alpha globin chain production. One to four loci that code for the alpha chain may be deleted from chromosome 16.
  • The greater the number of loci deleted or inactivated, the greater the severity of the anemia which develops.
  • Many different mutations exist that result from partial deletions of alpha genes. This unit of study deals only with the forms of alpha thalassemia that have entire loci deleted.

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