Interpreting Hemoglobin Electrophoresis and Western Blot Results for Sickle Cell Disease

You order a hemoglobin electrophoresis on a patient suspected of having sickle cell disease. A blood sample was obtained and the red cells were isolated. Disruption of the red cells released the hemoglobin, which was run on a polyacrylamide gel. Following the electrophoresis, a Western blot was performed to locate the hemoglobin. The results of the Western blot are shown below. Which one of the following statements best represents the interpretation of the results?

A. The band marked as X refers to the wild-type hemoglobin
B. The band in lane 2 an individual with sickle cell disease.
C. A carrier of sickle cell disease is by tie band in lane 3
D. Lane 3 an individual with sickle cell Disease

Interpreting Hemoglobin Electrophoresis and Western Blot Results for Sickle Cell Disease

Hemoglobin electrophoresis is a crucial diagnostic tool for identifying hemoglobin variants, including those associated with sickle cell disease (SCD). In this test, hemoglobin (Hb) extracted from red blood cells is separated based on charge and molecular weight using polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE), followed by Western blotting to detect specific hemoglobin forms.

Understanding the Electrophoresis Results