Blood

Question 1

What are the other names for red, white blood cells and platelets.

Answer 1

Erythrocytes, leucocytes and thrombocytes.

Question 2

Wha are the functions of red and white blood cells and platelets?

Answer 2

Red blood cells- transport CO2 and O2.
White- responsiblee for defence against bugs/bacteria etc.
Platelets- blood clotting.

Question 3

What is plasma composed of?

Answer 3

Extracellular fluid, water, electrolytes, organic molecules, plasma proteins. Glucose, fatty acids, amino acids etc.

Question 4

What organ produces plasma proteins and what can damage in this organ can have on these proteins and the body itself?

Answer 4

Plasma proteins are produced in the liver. If albumin is not produced there cannot be a transport of lipids. Albumin transports fat- digestion, affects pressure of water- can cause odema- water in ankles etc.

Question 5

What is the function of the plasma protein albumin?

Answer 5

Oncotic pressure, transport of lipids.

Question 6

What is the function of the plasma protein globulins?

Answer 6

-Transport: ions, hormones, lipids;

– Immune functions

Question 7

What is the function of the plasma protein fibrinogen?

Answer 7

Inactive component.

-Cut-fibrinogen-fibrin (active). BLOOD CLOTTING.

Question 8

What is the function of the plasma protein regulatory proteins?

Answer 8

Regulation of hormones and enzymes.

Question 9

What is the blood volume in males and females?

Answer 9

Males- 70ml/kg body weight.

Females- 60ml/kg/body weight.

Question 10

What is the percentage of plasma and cells in blood?

Answer 10

Plasma- 55%, cells-45%.

Question 11

What size and shape are red blood cells?

Answer 11

6-8 micrometres in diameter. They are biconcave in shape (bigger on outside and smaller on inside- so that they can expand so they can go through blood vessels, especially capillaries).

Question 12

What solutions are older RBC more fragile in?

Answer 12

Red blood cells are more fragile in hypotonic solutions.

Question 13

What is the average life expectancy of a red blood cell?

Answer 13

4 months. 120 days.

Question 14

How are old red blood cells removed from circulation?

Answer 14

Monocyte phagocytic system. Mainly done in spleen- can happen in the liver swell if they have no spleen.

Question 15

Where is red bone marrow found?

Answer 15

Sternum, red bone marrow and hip joints, long bones.

Question 16

Where is the bone marrow biopsy taken from?

Answer 16

Hip bone.

Question 17

What are the two components of haemoglobin?

Answer 17

Proteins (amino cid pool) and haem (made of iron, bilirubin and biliverdin- breakdown happens in liver).

Question 18

What is the lifecycle of a red blood cell?

Answer 18

Red blood cells are produced in the bone marrow and released into circulation. 10% undergo haemolysis (need to be broken down and out of circulation). Pass into kidneys to be peed out. Viable for 120 days and pass into MPS in spleen/liver/bone marrow. Broken down into haem and amino acids. Amino acids get released back into circulation and taken up to form a new red blood cell. The haem gets broken down into different things- biliverdin and bilirubin- done in spleen. Excreted in bile and joins up with other things- passes into poo. This is the dark colour of poo. Some of this absorbed back into circulation- needs to be passed out in kidneys.

Question 19

What are the stages of erythropoiesis?

Answer 19

1.Happens in bone marrow.
It is regulated by the hormone called erythropoietin (produced in kidneys).
2.Big cell made in bone marrow (includes iron and haem). Passes through a series of stages. Big cell becomes smaller.
3. On day 4 the rbc ejects its nucleus. A mature red blood cell does not have a nucleus. 4.On day 5-7 enters circulation for 120 days.
eg. “pro erythroblast— basophilic erythroblast (darker)—- polychromatophillic erythroblast —- normoblast—- reticulocyte—- red blood cell.”

Question 20

Can kidney problems effect red blood cell production?

Answer 20

Yes as the hormone that regulates the production of red blood cells is produced in the kidneys.

Question 21

What is needed in order for erythropoiesis to occur?

Answer 21

• Folic acid and Vit B 12.

- Increase haemoglobin content requires iron.

Question 22

How does erythropoietin work?

Answer 22

A decrease in red blood cell numbers equals a decreased oxygen delivery to cells and a decreased oxygen content to kidneys. This is detected by the kidneys and erythropoietin is released in response to this. This stimulates red bone marrow to increase red blood cell production.

Question 23

What is the disadvantages of high erythropoietin levels?

Answer 23

Lots of extra red blood cells- kidney problems.

Never reaches 100% o2 saturation of haem.

Question 24

What is the normal, healthy percentage of O2 saturation of haemoglobin?

Answer 24

97/8%.

Question 25

Why will you never get a patient with 100% oxygen saturation?

Answer 25

Haem always has to transport CO2.

Question 26

Where else in the body apart from a red blood cell contains carbonic anhydrase?

Answer 26

Parietal cells- involved in production of HCl. Allows CO2 and bicarbonate to combine.

Question 27

What is the structure of haemoglobin?

Answer 27

It is a globular protein. It consists of two alpha and 2 beta protein chains. It has 4 haem groups. Inside the porphyrin ring you have iron in the middle. The iron can reversibly bind oxygen. 200-300 haem molecules in each red blood cell. 4 oxygen binding sites in each red blood cell. 1200 areas of oxygen binding. It is heavy.

Question 28

Why does the foetus have an immature version of haemoglobin?

Answer 28

This is because the mum does its breathing for the baby. Hb-F (Haem foetus).

Question 29

What are the two types of white blood cells and how can we differentiate between the both?

Answer 29

Granulocytes (granules in cytoplasm) and agranulocytes.

Question 30

What are the three types of granulocytes and what is their function?

Answer 30

• Neutrophil (50-70%)- acute inflammation. They are non-specific as when here is an bacterial!!! infection neutrophils are released- they do not kill everything. Phagocytosis. Anything below normal level- more suseptible to infection.
• Basophil (1%)-They produce mast cells. They release histamine and heparin. Responsible for blood clotting and inflammation.
• Eosinophil- They have an increase in eosinophil count if a parasitic infection. Fight parasites.

Question 31

What are the two types of agranulocytes (more specific infections) and what is their function?

Answer 31

Monocytes- They find bug and present it to the mixed cell. Presents it to lymphocytes.
Lymphocytes- Contain b and T cells.ANTIBODY RESPONSE. Bug is presented and they can specifically target this bug.

Question 32

What white blood cell is multinucleinated?

Answer 32

Neutrophil.

Question 33

What white blood cell, under the microscope, is the cytoplasm more pink?

Answer 33

Eosinophil is binucleic.

Question 34

What is the prominent feature of a basophil under the microscope?

Answer 34

It is dark. This is because it has a single, big nucleus that takes up most of the cytoplasm.

Question 35

How can you distinguish between an eosinophil and a monocyte under a microscope?

Answer 35

The cytoplasm- eosinophilic is pink and monocyte is much darker.

Question 36

What does a high lymphocyte level indicate?

Answer 36

A chronic infection. Single large dark nucleus under microscope.

Question 37

How do platelets clot blood?

Answer 37

When there is a bleed, platelets active and release vasoconstrictors (thromboxane A2). This constricts blood vessel diameter and platelets form here to produce a blood clot. Form a “platelet plug”. They are made up of fat.

Question 38

Where are platelets derived from?

Answer 38

Megakaryocytes.

Question 39

What size are platelets?

Answer 39

2 micrometers.

Question 40

What is the rarest blood group?

Answer 40

AB.

Question 41

What blood groups are a universal donor and recipient?

Answer 41

Universal donor - blood g O-.

Universal recipient- blood g AB.