Blood

Question 1

What is blood composed of?

Answer 1

Blood is composed of plasma and formed elements (i.e., the red blood cells, the white blood cells and the platelets).

Question 2

What is plasma composed of?

Answer 2

Plasma is a made up of water, sugar and minerals. Many substances are dissolved in the plasma such as nutrients, antibodies, hormones and waste.

Question 3

Plasma

Answer 3

Transports red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets and nutrients

Question 4

Red blood cells

Answer 4

Transport oxygen and carbon dioxide within the circulatory system

Question 5

White blood cells

Answer 5

Protect the body against bacteria, viruses and other dangerous substances
Produces antibodies

Question 6

Platelets

Answer 6

Play an important role in blood clotting to stop bleeding when a blood vessel is damaged.

Question 7

Hemophilia

Answer 7

Hemophilia is usually an inherited bleeding disorder in
which the blood does not clot properly. This can lead to
spontaneous bleeding as well as bleeding following injuries
or surgery.

Question 8

Hemophilia guidelines

Answer 8

Guidelines recommend that patients
with haemophilia should preferably
receive vaccination subcutaneously.

Question 9

Subcutaneous meaning

Answer 9

Subcutaneous means under the skin.
In this type of injection, a short needle
is used to inject a drug into the tissue
layer between the skin and the
muscle.

Question 10

Blood types (Ex + what they are based on)

Answer 10

There are different blood groups due to the presence or absence of antigens
on the surface of the red blood cells (RBCs).

The four blood groups are: type A, type B, type AB, and type O.

Question 11

Rh factor

Answer 11

A person with the Rh factor (antigen) on the surface of their RBCs is said to
be Rhesus positive (Rh+).

A person without the Rh factor on their RBCs is said to be Rhesus negative
(Rh-)

Question 12

Compatibility of blood types

Answer 12

A person CANNOT receive blood which has antigens that are not present in
their own blood.

Examples

A person with type A blood CAN receive type A and type O blood, but NOT
type B or type AB blood.

A person with a blood type that is Rh+ CAN receive blood which is either Rh+
or Rh-

A person with a blood type that is Rh- can ONLY receive blood which is Rh-

Question 13

Rhesus factor and pregnancy

Answer 13

The Rhesus factor, or Rh factor, is a type of protein found on the outside or surface of red
blood cells.

You inherit the protein, which means you get your Rh factor from your biological parents.

People are either Rh-positive (they have the protein) or Rh-negative (they don’t have the protein).

This is important when you’re Rh-negative and pregnant with a fetus who’s Rh-positive.

The majority of people, about 85%, are Rh-positive.

Question 14

Hemorraghe

Answer 14

Hemorrhage is bleeding from a
damaged blood vessel. Many things
can cause hemorrhage inside and
outside the body.

Types of hemorrhage range from
minor, such as a bruise, to major,
such as bleeding in the brain.

If you can’t stop external bleeding or
suspect internal bleeding, seek
immediate medical attention.

Question 15

Universal donor

Answer 15

Blood type O- is the universal donor, which means a person with this
blood type can donate their blood to any recipient.

This is because the RBCs have no antigens on their surface and will
not be recognized as foreign by the body of the recipient.

Question 16

universal recipient

Answer 16

Blood type AB+ is the universal recipient, which means a person with
this blood type can receive blood from any donor.

This is because the RBCs have all antigens on their surface and will
therefore recognize the antigens of any donated blood.

Question 17

Seperation of blood components

Answer 17

The parts of blood each have
different densities, and
therefore will separate into four
different and distinct layers if
centrifuged.

A machine called a centrifuge
spins your blood (quickly) to
separate your red blood cells,
platelets and plasma. As the
blood is separated, the heavier
reds cells sink to the bottom.

Question 18

Blood typing

Answer 18

The test to determine your blood
group is called ABO typing.

Your blood sample is mixed with
antibodies against type A and B
blood.

Then the sample is checked to see
whether the blood cells stick
together.

Question 19

Bad clotting

Answer 19

When a blood clot blocks blood flow to important areas of your body, it can have dangerous consequences such as heart attack, stroke, or aneurysms.

Question 20

Good clotting

Answer 20

While blood clots are associated with certain diseases, clotting is also a
necessary, life-supporting mechanism in the body that prevent excessive bleeding, from a small cut to a large wound.

Question 21

Agglutination

Answer 21

Agglutination means clumping of RBCs together due to
antigen-antibody reaction (ABO incompatibility). It can lead to
coagulation (clotting).

Question 22

Coagulation

Answer 22

Blood clotting, also called coagulation, is an important process that reduces bleeding when we are injured.

It happens whenever a blood vessel is damaged, whether the
injury is a scratch on the skin or something more serious.

Question 23

Hemoglobin

Answer 23

Red blood cells have a protein
called hemoglobin on their outer
surface.
Hemoglobin has iron molecules
attached to it (hence a major
reason to have iron in your diet),
and therefore has an extremely
strong affinity (oxygen binds
more tightly to it) for oxygen.
The iron combining with the
oxygen (oxidation) gives red
blood cells their red color.

Question 24

Sickle cell anemia

Answer 24

Sickle cell anemia is one of a group of
inherited (genetic) disorders known as sickle cell disease.

It affects the shape of red blood cells. Red blood cells are usually round and flexible, so they move easily through blood vessels.

This disease is characterized by the normally round red blood cells
bending into a “sickle” shape, and thus not carrying as much oxygen as
normal red blood cells.

Question 25

Sickle cell anemia genetics

Answer 25

Humans typically have 23 pairs of chromosomes, or 46 chromosomes in total.

Chromosomes are made up of long strands of DNA, which contain all the body’s genes.

Sickle Cell Anemia is inherited on chromosome 11.

It is a homozygous recessive gene.

If a person inherits one recessive sickle cell allele from their mother and one recessive sickle cell allele from
their father, they will have the gene for sickle cell anemia.

However, if one parent passes on a recessive sickle cell allele, and the other parent passes on a
normal dominant allele, the child will have only slightly mutated cells.

If the child is heterozygous, then they will have immunity from malaria,
since the malaria parasite invades normal red blood cells.

Many studies suggest that a strong correlation exists between the high
incidence of sickle cell anemia and African-Americans because the
ancestors of African-Americans lived in Africa, a hotspot for malaria.

Therefore, a heterozygous genotype for sickle cell provided
necessary protection, despite the increased risk of passing a recessive
sickle cell allele to offspring.