Blood cell - size and measurement

Question 1

Plasma

Answer 1

Clear fluid with a yellow tinge, contains water, protein, chemicals, enzymes, hormones and gasses. Makes up approximately 55% of blood.

Question 2

Leukocyte

Answer 2

Also known as WBC, they are immune cells that protect against infectious disease, they’re also found in the lymphatic system. They are derived in the bone marrow from haematopoietic stem cells. They make up around 1% of the total blood volume.

Question 3

Neutrophils

Answer 3

A type of WBC, they are the most abundant (approx 62% of WBC). They defend against bacterial and fungal infection by undergoing phagocytosis. 10-12 micrometers in diameter.

Question 4

Eosinophils

Answer 4

A type of WBC, make up about 2.3%of WBC. 10-12 micrometers in diameter. Counts fluctuate throughout the day, seasonally and during monstratios. Counts rises in response to allergens, parasitic infections, collagen diseases and diseases in the spleen and CNS.

Question 5

Basophils

Answer 5

The least abundant WBC (0.4%), 12-15 micrometers in diameter, responsible for allergic reactions and antigen response, can release signals to attract eosinophils and neutrophils to the site of infection.

Question 6

Monocytes

Answer 6

The largest WBC, 15-30 micrometers in diameter, 5.3% of WBC, involved in phagocytosis-they can leave the bloodstream and become tissue macrophages.

Question 7

Erythrocytes

Answer 7

RBCs, they distribute oxygen, contain haemoglobin and contain glycoproteins which define the different blood types. 1 microlitre of blood has 4.7-6.1 million RBC (males) 1 4.2 -5.4 million RBC (female)• they don’t have a nucleus organelles.

Question 8

Haematocrit

Answer 8

The proportion of blood occupied by RBCs in the blood. It is normally around 45%.

Question 9

Lymphocytes

Answer 9

Make up approximately 30% of WBCs, they are more common in the lymphatic system than the blood. They are categorised into B cells, T cells and natural killer cells. They are part of the immune response.

Question 10

Thrombocytes

Answer 10

(Platelets) they act to stop bleeding by clumping and clotting blood vessel injuries. They have no nucleus, are only found in mammals. 2-3 micrometers in diameter.

Question 11

Full blood exam

Answer 11

Provides information about cells in patents blood, it gives an overview of general health.it counts the total number of RBC, WBC and platelets, determines the ratio of RBCs to the plasma, determinate count of each WBC subset, the average haemoglobin level in the RBC, average size of RBCs and sometimes puts the RBCs under a microscope to observe shape.

Question 12

Normal morphology

Answer 12

Cells look how they are supposed to look.

Question 13

Haemocylometer

Answer 13

The simplest and cheapest method for counting cells suspended in liquid. It is a specalised microscope slide that has two counting chambers which when loaded with a cell suspension contain a defined volume of liquid.