Final answer:
Bernard-Soulier disease is a genetic disorder that impairs platelet function, leading to larger platelets, prolonged bleeding times, and a tendency for excessive bleeding. It is inherited in an autosomal recessive pattern.
Step-by-step explanation:
Bernard-Soulier disease is a genetic disorder that affects platelet function. It is characterized by the presence of larger than normal platelets and a deficiency of the glycoprotein complex that is necessary for platelets to stick to wounds and form a plug to stop bleeding. As a result, individuals with Bernard-Soulier disease have prolonged bleeding times and may experience spontaneous bleeding episodes or excessive bleeding after surgery or trauma. This disease is inherited in an autosomal recessive pattern, meaning that two copies of the gene in question, one from each parent, are necessary for the disease to be expressed.
Blood diseases like Bernard-Soulier syndrome can range from issues with red blood cells, such as sickle-cell anemia, to other genetic disorders impacting different components of blood, like hemophilia, where blood does not clot properly. Unlike some other blood conditions, Bernard-Soulier is not related to nutritional deficiencies, infections, or cancers such as leukemia.