Blood Cell Production

Question 1

What is the role of blood?

Answer 1

It is responsible for carrying material from one part of the body to another

Question 2

What type of tissue is blood?

Answer 2

It is a connective tissue made up of cellular elements suspended in a fluid matrix

Question 3

What is the composition of plasma?

Answer 3

• 91% water
• 8% protein
• 1% dissolved organic molecules

Question 4

What is the most abundant type of protein in the plasma?

Answer 4

Albumins

Question 5

What percentage of plasma proteins are albumins?

Answer 5

Around 60%

Question 6

What is the main source of production of albumin?

Answer 6

The liver

Question 7

What is the main role of albumin?

Answer 7

Maintains colloid osmotic pressure which promotes the movement of fluid into and out of capillaries

Question 8

What are the three components of blood?

Answer 8

• White blood cells
• Red blood cells
• Platelets

Question 9

What are red blood cells also known as?

Answer 9

Erythrocytes

Question 10

What does erythros mean?

Answer 10

Red

Question 11

What are white blood cells also known as?

Answer 11

Leukocytes

Question 12

What does leukos mean?

Answer 12

White

Question 13

What are platelets also known as?

Answer 13

Thrombocytes

Question 14

What does thrombo mean?

Answer 14

Clot

Question 15

What is haematopoiesis?

Answer 15

Process by which all blood cells are formed

Question 16

When does haematopoiesis begin?

Answer 16

It begins early in embryonic development and continues through life

Question 17

Where does haemotopoiesis occur?

Answer 17

Occurs in bone marrow

Question 18

In which bones does haemotopoiesis occur in?

Answer 18

• All bones up to age 5
• Pelvis, spine, ribs, cranium and long bones in adults

Question 19

What percentage of RBC and WBC is produced in bone marrow?

Answer 19

• 25% RBC
• 75% WBC

Question 20

What controls haemotopoiesis?

Answer 20

Primarily controlled by cytokines

Question 21

What is erythropoiesis?

Answer 21

The production of red blood cells

Question 22

What controls erythropoiesis?

Answer 22

Glycoprotein erythropoietin + some cytokines

Question 23

Where are glycoprotein erythropoietin produced?

Answer 23

In the kidney

Question 24

What triggers the release of glycoprotein erythropoietin?

Answer 24

Hypoxia - low oxygen levels

Question 25

What is a haematocrit?

Answer 25

A blood test that measures the percentage of red blood cells in your blood

Question 26

What does a low level of haematocrit mean?

Answer 26

Anemia

Question 27

What does a high level of haematocrit mean?

Answer 27

Polycythemia

Question 28

What is polycythemia?

Answer 28

Abnormally high concentration of red blood cells

Question 29

What is haemoglobin?

Answer 29

A large complex protein with 4 globular protein chains

Question 30

What is the structure of haemoglobin?

Answer 30

Two alpha chains and two beta chains each wrapped around an iron containing heme group

Question 31

How many oxygens can bind per haemoglobin?

Answer 31

4

Question 32

What are the steps for synthesis of haemoglobin?

Answer 32

- Iron ingested from diet - Iron absorbed by active transport - Transferrin protein transports Fe in plasma - Bone marrow uses Fe to make haemoglobin as part of RBC synthesis

Question 33

Where are red blood cells destroyed?

Answer 33

In the spleen

Question 34

What happens to haemoglobin when red blood cells are destroyed?

Answer 34

It is converted to bilirubin

Question 35

What is sickle cell disease?

Answer 35

Results in abnormal haemoglobin molecules which change the shape of the red blood cell resulting in blockages in small blood vessels

Question 36

What type of antigen and antibodies do people with blood type A have?

Answer 36

- A antigen on RBC surface - Anti-B antibody in plasma

Question 37

What type of antigen and antibodies do people with blood type B have?

Answer 37

- B antigen on RBC surface - Anti-A antibody in plasma

Question 38

What type of antigen and antibodies do people with blood type AB have?

Answer 38

- Both A and B antigen on RBC surface - Neither Anti-A or Anti-B antibody in plasma

Question 39

What type of antigen and antibodies do people with blood type O have?

Answer 39

- Neither A or B antigen on RBC surface - Both Anti-A and Anti-B antibody in plasma

Question 40

Which blood group is the universal blood group donor?

Answer 40

Blood group O

Question 41

Which blood group is the universal recipient?

Answer 41

Blood group AB

Question 42

What determines whether blood group is positive or negative?

Answer 42

Rh D antigen on the RBC surface

Question 43

What does + blood group mean?

Answer 43

That Rh D antigen is present on the RBC surface