Basic Blood Flashcards
Hematocrit
Volume of RBCs in a sample of blood (45%ish)
Buffy Coat
Leukocytes and thrombocytes, makes up 1% blood volume
Serum
blood plasma without clotting factors
main constituent of plasma; exerts colloid osmotic pressure on vessel walls; carrier protein for thyroxine, bilirubin, and barbiturates
Albumin
forms an impermeable net of fibrin vie cross linking; used to prevent blood loss; chains broken to monomers, which polymerize forming long fibers, and then cross link
Fibrinogen
Reticulocytes
Immature RBCs released into circulation; have not yet shed nuclear material and organelles, but mature in 24-48 hours
attaches underlying cytoskeletal protein network to cell membrane
Glycophorin C
Band 3 Protein
Binds hemoglobin and acts as an anchoring site for cytoskeletal proteins
heterodimer that forms long flexible tetramers; anchored by band 4.1 protein complex and ankyrin protein complex
alpha and beta spectrins
Three reasons for low Hb count
hemorrhage, insufficient production, or hemolytic anemia
Dietary reasons for low RBC (anemia)
insufficient Fe, B12, or folic acid
When erythrocytes cannot adapt to changes in osmotic pressure and/or mechanical deformations
Hemolysis
Can be caused by destruction of circulating erythrocytes; characteristic in many hemolytic anemias resulting from inherited RBC defects or pathogenic microorganisms; not uncommon in newborns
Jaundice
Leukocyte amounts in blood
Never Let Monkeys Eat Bananas
Multi-lobed nucleus; acute inflammation and tissue injury; recognize and bind foreign objects; 3 granule types
Neutrophils
Lysosomes with myeloperoxidase (MPO)
Azurophilic Granules (Primary)
Various enzymes, complement activators, and antimicrobial peptides
Specific Granules (Secondary)
Phosphatases and metalloproteinases (for migration through connective tissue)
Tertiary Granules
Bi-lobed nuclei; large elongated specific and azurophilic granules; release arylsulfatase and histaminase; may mediate chronic inflammation
Eosinophils
Bind to antigen-IgE complexes to activate; release vasoactive agents from granules; big part of severe vascular disturbances from hypersensitivity reactions and anaphylaxis
Basophils
Lymphocytes
Intensely staining, spherical nucleus; not terminally differentiated; T, B, and NK cells; T and B indistinguishable via blood smears and sections
Monocytes
largest of WBCs; heart shaped nucleus and contain azurophilc granules; differentiate to phagocytes in tissues; osteoclasts, Kupffer cells (liver), and macrophages
small, membrane bound, cytoplasmic fragments from megakaryoctes (bone marrow); circulate for 10 days and play role in homeostasis
Thrombocytes
Damage in vasculature promotes platelet adhesion; platelets release serotonin (vasoconstrictor), ADP and thromboxane A2 (increase aggregation of platelets to form primary hemostatic plug); platelets provide surface for conversion of fibrinogen to fibrin (secondary hemostatic plug)
Thrombocytosis
