Blood Basics Flashcards
3 types of blood cells
red blood cells,
white blood cells,
platelets
Where are blood cells produced (Haematopoiesis) in mature adult?
stem cells in bone marrow
Where is blood produced in embryo?
yolk sac then liver then marrow, also spleen from month 3 to month 7
Where is blood produced at birth?
bone marrow, liver and spleen when needed
All bones contain bone marrow. T/f?
False - haumatopoeisis restricted to skull, ribs, sternum, pelvis, proximal ends of femur (axial skeleton) in mature adult
In children the active bone marrow sites are the same as in adults. T/F?
False - bone marrow active sites retreat to axial skeletons in adults
Approximately how many red cells, neutrophils and platelets are produced per minute?
Approx. 100 million red cells,
60million neutrophils,
150 million platelets
Why do most stem cells remain in a quiescent state?
Because try to preserve themselves because more reproduction means higher chance of problems occurring
Describe the concept of the haematopoietic tree
Stem cells come in different types, differentiate down into different types to eventually become different types of stem cells which then differentiate into different types of blood cells
Blood cells can only be differentiated as they develop into the mature version of the cell and cell size drops. It is much harder to tell when they are in stem cell division stages. T/F?
True
What happens in the last stage of maturation in erythropoiesis?
Nucleus removal
What happens in platelet formation that is different to the other blood cell formation?
Nucleus divides and multiplies but cell doesn’t divide like other blood cell formation, instead little pockets of big cytoplasm bud off and become platelets
On what cell does budding occur in the process of making red blood cells?
Megakaryocyte
What are 2 basic roles of red cells?
Carry oxygen,
buffer CO2
What is basic role of platelets?
Coagulation
What are 2 basic roles of white cells?
Fight infection,
cancer prevention
Name the 3 types of granulocytes?
Eosinophils, (red staining)
basophils, (blue staining)
neutrophils
What is most numerous white cell in blood stream?
Neutrophils
Why are neutrophils sometimes called polymorphs?
Because have segmented nucleus and so come in lots of different shapes
Function of neutrophils? (2)
Immediate defence cells by phagocytosing invader cells by granule contents or taking them up, die in process,
attract other cells
Lifespan of neutrophils?
very short - hours to 1 day
When neutrophils increased? (3)
infection,
trauma,
infarction
Eosinphils nucleus shape?
bi-lobed
Function of eosinophils? (2)
fight parasitic infections,
involved in hypersensitivity
Patients with what conditions may have elevated eosinophils?
Allergic conditions e.g. asthma or atopic rhinitis
Basophils are infrequent. T/F?
True
Basophils appearance?
often can’t see nucleus, granules stain purple
Basophils role?
Not sure but acts as a circulating version of tissue mast cell,
some role in hypersensitivity cos have IgE receptors and histamine in granules
Monocyte appearance? (3)
Large single nucleus,
faintly staining granules,
often vacuolated
Monocytes lifeplan?
circulate for a week and enter tissues to become macrophages
Function of monocytes? (3)
phagocytose invaders - killing them and presenting antigen to lymphocytes,
attract other cells,
modulate immune reactions
Neutrophils live longer than monocytes. T/F?
False - monocytes live much longer
Mature lymphocytes appearance?
Small condensed nucleus with rim of cytoplasm
Activated lymphocytes appearance?
Large with lots of blue cytoplasm, nucleus more open
types of lymphocytes? (3)
B cells,
T cells,
NK cells
B cell function
humoral immunity (antibodies)
T cell function
cell-mediated immunity,
regulatory function
Which lymphocyte is involved in fighting viral infections
T cells
