Sickle cells are red cells that become crescent or sickle-shaped with pointed ends as a result of polymerisation of HbS, which is due to the replacement of glutamic acid with valine at the sixth position on the beta chain.
The presence of sickle cells is a characteristic feature of sickle cell disease which includes HbSS, HbSC and sickle cell/beta thalassaemia.

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