If your blood cells are a different shape to normal (for example spherical rather than donut shaped) would this have

Question: If your blood cells are a different shape to normal (for example spherical rather than donut shaped) would this have any effect on how effectively your body works?
- Keywords:
  blood cell,
  body
Asked by katie26 to Ed, Hayley, Jason, Nathan, Sophie on 18 Mar 2013.
- Hayley Evers-King answered on 18 Mar 2013:
  
  There is a disease called sickle cell anemia where this actually happens. The blood cells are shaped like crescent moons. They can get stuck in parts of the body and are often destroyed by the body for being the wrong shape. Often the body cannot make replacement cells for these destroyed ones fast enough. There are often lots of complications associated with this disease.

Question: If your blood cells are a different shape to normal (for example spherical rather than donut shaped) would this have any effect on how effectively your body works?