Blood Flashcards
Too little RBC in blood?
Anaemia <45%
Too much RBC in blood?
Polycythaemia >45%
Too little WBC in blood?
Leukopenia <4,800ul
Too much WBC in blood?
Leucocytosis >11,000 ul
Too little platelets in blood?
Thrombocytopenia <150,000ul
Too much platelets in blood?
Thrombocytosis >450,000 ul
Plasma composition
H20- 90-93%
Plasma protein-8%
Plasma protein composition
Albumin (60%)
Globulins (40%)
Iron deficiency symptoms?
Shortness of breath
Fatigue
Tachycardia
Dizziness
What do we need iron for?
Iron reacts with protoporphyrin (pigment in RBC) converts it to haem. Haem is essential for haemoglobin. Therefore less iron-less haem-less haemoglobin
What happens if there is less haemoglobin in the blood due to iron. Related condition
Iron deficiency (condition) It takes up most volume in blood and therefore becomes Microcytic- decrease in MCV less than 80fl.
Causes of Fe2+ deficiency
Blood loss
Heavy menstruation
Low iron diet
B-12/Folic Acid/(Pernicious anaemia) how does it take place?
Main cause is autoimmune
Reason: Parietal cells in stomach have glycoprotein called intrinsic factor. B12 naturally bind to intrinsic factor. However in pernicious anaemia antibodies are produced which bind to the intrinsic factor blocking B12.
Less B12 in bloodstream
Result in macrocytosis (MCV <90fl). Can get stuck
What is B12 needed for?
Needed in order for red blood cells DNA to mature, synthesis and condense
What is folic acid needed for?
DNA maturation
Treatment of pernicious anaemia?
Intra muscular injections of B12
What is hereditary spherocytosis
Genetic Mutation (ankyrin and spectrin) results in a spherical haemoglobin-loses its biconcave shape. Not good at delivering oxygen effectively as it gets stuck
Hereditary spherocytosis symptoms
Splenomegaly
Haemolysis
How to detect hereditary spherocytosis?
Coombs test
What is sickle cell anaemia (HbS)
Missense mutation
When in sickle cell anaemia does haemoglobin have its sickle shape?
When its not bound to oxygen
What can sickle cell anaemia lead to?
Vaso-occlusive crisis
Treatment of sickle cell anaemia
oxygen
pain reliever
fluids
Sickle cell anaemia can mean that your immune to what?
Malaria
Types of anaemia
Fe2+ defiecncy
Aplastic
Haemorrhagic
B12/Folic
Thalassemia
Sickle cell
Hereditary spherocytosis
Where is thalassemia more common in?
Mediterranean ancestry
What is thalassemia?
Genetic condition Two types (alpha and beta)
Missing a globin chain:
alpha: 1aplha + 2beta
beta: 2alpha + 1beta
Thalassemia-microcytic or macrocytic?
microcytic
Treatment of thalassemia
Bone stem cell transplant
Iron
Transfusion
Blood transfusion-
negative- negative & positive
positive- positive
What makes your blood group positive or negative
Rh antigen.
If you have it, your are positive of that blood group, if absent then negative.
Describe Rhesus disease
Increases chance with every birth.
Mother RH-
Baby RH+
Mother has anti D antibodies meaning that immune response will kick in and and begin to produce antibodies. Antibodies cross placenta and attacks the babies red blood cells-undergoes haemolysis can lead to haemolytic anaemia. Develop condition haemolytic disease of new-born
What are the two phases of blood, what is in each phase and what percentages are involved?
Cellular: 45% (99% RBCs, then white blood cells and platelets make up the rest)
Fluid: 55% (plasma)
How many litres of blood is normal for a human?
5 litres
What is haematocrit and what is a normal value?
the volume of red blood cells i.e haemoglobin in the blood, normal haematocrit is 0.45
What is haemopoiesis? In adults where does this take place?
the process of the production of blood cells and platelets which continues throughout life, in adults this is confined to the bone marrow
What is the lifetime of RBCs?
120 days
What is the lifetime of white blood cells?
6 hours
What is the lifetime of platelets?
7-10 days
Where are the precursor cells for red blood cells found?
The precursor cells of red blood cells are located in the bone marrow:
- In adults this is in the axial skeleton - skull, ribs, spine, pelvis and long bones
- In children this is in all bones
- In utero this is in the yolk sac, then liver and spleen
What is precursor cells in the blood an indication of?
Leukaemia
What do hormonal growth factors do? and what is the specific type for each type of blood cell
Hormonal growth factors stimulate precursor stem cells to proliferate and differentiate:
- Epo/ Erythropoietin (hormone made in kidney) = red blood cells
- G-CSF (granulocyte colony stimulating factor) = white cells
- Tpo = platelets
What happens to the oxygen dissociation curve when the pH is decreased or the temperature increases?
It will shift to the right
What happens to the oxygen dissociaton curve when the pH is increased or the temperature decreases?
It will shift to the left
Why do red blood cells have such a short lifespan?
Simple cells, with no nucleus or mitochondria thus cannot repair itself - why they have such a short lifespan
What are young red blood cells called?
Reticulocytes
What is the role of haemoglobin and what is its structure?
Carries oxygen from the lungs to tissues, where it transfers oxygen to myoglobin in muscles
Haemoglobin is formed of 2 alpha and 2 beta chains and 4 haem groups - has an overall quaternary structure - due to the combination of more than two tertiary structures
Explain the presence of varying antigen on the surface of blood cells?
Some people have the gene that results in the synthesis of the A antigen on the surface of red blood cells
some have the gene that results in the synthesis of the B antigen, some have both genes and some have neither.
Those who have neither are said to have O-type erythrocytes.
Thus the possible blood types are A(more common than B), B, AB (MOST RARE) & O (MOST COMMON)
Which antibodies are in the plasma of a type A individual?
anti-B antibodies
What is co-dominance and why is it important in blood types? What does this produce?
A antigen and B antigen are both codominant. They produce AB. Type AB have neither anti-A or anti-B antibodies in their plasma, has A + B antigens on surface of red blood cells - UNIVERSAL RECIPIENT