attached
Response-150 words for each student- and 1 citation
Due before midnight tonight- oct 14th
Student #1:
Sabreen Zayed
After years of radiation exposure, famed scientist Marie Curie, best renowned for her research on radioactivity, developed aplastic anemia. “Aplastic anemia is a rare haemopoietic stem-cell disorder that results in pancytopenia and hypocellular bone marrow”(Brodksky 1). Her bone marrow, which produces blood cells, was harmed by this illness. Her body could not create enough platelets, white blood cells, or red blood cells. Several major health issues resulted from this. Recurrent infections were one of her primary problems. The insufficient production of white blood cells by her body was causing her to become vulnerable to illnesses. Insufficient neutrophils made her less effective against bacteria. She was more susceptible to infections of all kinds since her immune system was less capable of fighting off viruses and other pathogens due to the decrease in B cells and T cells. In addition, anemia caused fatigue, pale skin, and a quick heartbeat in her. Her body wasn’t producing enough red blood cells in charge of deliver oxygen, which is why this occurred. Her heart had to work harder since she had fewer red blood cells, which left her feeling exhausted and weak. “Drugs, chemical exposure, radiation, and viruses are implicated as etiologic agents, although the majority of community-acquired SAA is idiopathic”(Brodsky1). Her platelet count was also low, which hindered her blood’s ability to clot, resulting in easy bruising and lengthy bleeding from even tiny cuts. Her best course of treatment at the time was blood transfusions. She could only get blood from A-negative or O-negative donors because her blood type was A-negative. Any other kind of blood could have had detrimental effects on her body. This complicated the process of obtaining the appropriate blood for transfusions, which were essential to help control her illness.
references
Brodsky, R. A., & Jones, R. J. (2005). Aplastic anaemia.
Lancet (London, England),
365(9471), 1647–1656.
Brodsky R. A. (1998). Biology and management of acquired severe aplastic anemia.
Current opinion in oncology,
10(2), 95–99.
Student #2:
Raelyn Chavira
Marie Curie suffered from recurrent infections and various symptoms due to aplastic anemia, a condition where the bone marrow fails to produce enough blood cells, including leukocytes. The key types of leukocytes—neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, eosinophils, and basophils—each play crucial roles in the immune response. Neutrophils are vital for quickly fighting bacterial infections, while lymphocytes, including T cells and B cells, are essential for cell-mediated and humoral immunity, respectively. Monocytes are large white blood cells that differentiate into macrophages and dendritic cells, playing key roles in phagocytosis and antigen presentation to activate the immune response. Basophils are the least common leukocytes, releasing histamine and other chemicals during allergic reactions and inflammation, contributing to the body’s defense against pathogens. With her leukocyte counts severely reduced, Curie lacked effective responses to both intracellular pathogens (like viruses) and extracellular ones (like bacteria), leading to recurrent infections that her body could not effectively combat.
Her symptoms, including fatigue, rapid heart rate, pale skin, easy bruising, prolonged bleeding, and dizziness, stemmed from anemia and thrombocytopenia (low platelet count). Anemia, characterized by a reduced red blood cell count, impairs oxygen transport throughout the body, causing fatigue and pallor. Thrombocytopenia results in easy bruising and prolonged bleeding due to impaired clotting mechanisms. Regarding blood type, as A negative, she could receive A negative or O negative, but not B or AB blood types. This is because individuals with A negative blood have anti-B antibodies in their plasma, which would react against B antigens, and they should ideally avoid Rh-positive blood to prevent the risk of developing antibodies against the Rh factor.
Moore CA, Krishnan K. Aplastic Anemia. [Updated 2023 Jul 17]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024 Jan-. Available from:
Tigner A, Ibrahim SA, Murray IV. Histology, White Blood Cell. [Updated 2022 Nov 14]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024 Jan-. Available from:
Silverthorn, D. U. (2018).
Human Physiology, An Integrated Approach (8th ed.). Pearson.
