1.1. Transport Across the Red Blood Cell Membrane Flashcards
Red Blood Cell (RBC)
- Erythrocyte
- Cellular component of blood
Functions of RBC
- Carry oxygen to the different parts of the body
- Contains HEMOGLOBIN (oxygen carrying protein)
Hemoglobin
- Pigment that gives blood its red color
- Transports 23% of carbon dioxide in the blood
- Combines with oxygen to form oxyhemoglobin
Mature Human Red Blood Cell
- Small, round (spherical), and biconcave
(concave both disc) - Appears dumbbell-shaped in profile
- Lack nucleus and other organelles
- Can neither carry on extensive metabolic phase
- Consists of a selectively permeable plasma membrane, cytosol and hemoglobin
Healthy Adult Male RBC
- 5.4 mil microliter of blood
Healthy Adult Female RBC
- 4.8 mil microliter of blood
Diffusion
- Random movement due to intrinsic kinetic energy movement is down a concentration gradient (downhill) does not require
- There should be Concentration Gradient
Net Diffusion
Movement from high to low concentration
Osmosis
Diffusion of water or solvent molecules across a selectively permeable membrane from a region of higher water concentration to one of lower water concentration
Osmotic Pressure
- Force required to prevent membrane of water across cell membrane
- The higher the concentration, the higher the osmotic pressure
Isotonic
- Equal osmotic pressures
- Equal solute concentration
- Isotonic environments show no effect on cells
- Isotonic solutions are not helpful in food preservation
- Water does not move
- Cells remain intact
Hypotonic
- Lower osmotic pressure
- Lower concentration of solute
- Hypotonic environments cause cells to swell (water moves by osmosis)
- Hypotonic solutions are not helpful in food preservation
- Has lower concentration of solutes and a higher concentration of water relative to the cytoplasm of the cell
Lysis (Hypotonic)
Cells swell enough to rupture
Hemolysis (Hypotonic)
Bursting of RBC
Hypertonic
- Have comparatively higher osmotic pressure
- High concentration
- Hypertonic environments cause cells to shrink (water molecules move out of the cells by exosmosis faster than they enter the cell)
- Hypertonic solutions are helpful in food preservations
- Cell shrinkage = Crenation
Capillary Puncture Procedure 1
Sanitize hands and put on gloves to protect the phlebotomist from blood borne pathogen exposure
Capillary Puncture Procedure 2
Position the arm to be supported on a firm surface with the hand extended and the palm up
Capillary Puncture Procedure 3
Select the puncture or incision site (central, fleshy portion and slightly side or center of the middle or ring finger)
Capillary Puncture Procedure 4
- Sterilize and air-dry the site
- 70% Isopropanol is recommended for cleaning capillary puncture sites.
- Air-drying the site provides maximum antiseptic action, and prevents alcohol contamination
Capillary Puncture Procedure 5
- Perform capillary puncture with a lancet
- Do not reuse lancet
- Do not use an already used lancet on another person
- Throw the lancet in the proper container labeled “sharps”
Capillary Puncture Procedure 6
- Puncture the site and discard the lancet
- Grasp patient’s finger with the non-dominant thumb and index finger
- Place the lancet flat against the
(a) slightly side center of the fleshy pad of the 3rd or 4th finger
(b) perpendicular to the fingerprint whorls
(c) prick (must not be too shallow nor too deep)
Capillary Puncture Procedure 7
- Wipe away the first drop of blood with a gauze pad to:
(a) prevent contamination of specimen with excess tissue fluid
(b) removes the alcohol residue
