Blood Cells Flashcards
Types of blood cells
Erythrocytes: RBC
Thrombocytes: Platelets
Leukocytes: WBC
RBC characteristics
Diameter: 7.2 micrometers
Lifespan: 120 days
Number: 5x10^6/microL (most common)
Bi-concave shape
Platelets Characteristics
Diameter: 2-3 micrometers
Lifespan: 7-8 days
Number 250,000-400,000/microL
WBC Characteristics
Diameter: 10-18 micrometers
Lifespan: hours or years
Number: 8,000-10,000/microL
What is Hematopoiesis
Formation of blood cells derived from multipotential (pluripotential) hematopoietic stem cells.
What is Erythopoiesis
Production of RBC
What is Thrombopoiesis
Production of Platelets
What is Leukopoiesis
Production of WBC
General Pattern of Hematopoiesis
Division:
Pluripotential stem cells replicates
Differentiation:
Stem cells commits to certain blood cell type
What are Cytokines
Proteins/peptides released by a cell that affect growth/development of another cell.
What are Hematopoietic Growth Factors
Cytokines influencing blood cell precursors
Prenatal Sites of Hematopoiesis
Yolk sac: first 3 months
Liver and spleen: after 1 month and up to 9 months
Bone marrow: After 3 months and for rest of life
Postnatal sites of Hematopoiesis
Axial skeleton: for whole life, in flat bones of skull, shoulder blades, sternum, vertebrae, ribs, pelvis
Distal Long bones: ends after 30 years
(in epiphysis of long bones)
Function of RBC
Transport respiratory gasses
Advantage of Biconcave shape in RBC
Allows Maximal surface area + minimal diffusion distance
increase permeability
high flexibility: can squeeze through capillaries
What is CBC
Complete blood count: RBC, WBC, platelet, Hematocrit, [Hb]
Cell size terms for RBC
Normocytic: 7 micrometers
Microcytic: smaller than 7 micrometers
Macrocytic: larger than 7 micrometers
Cell shape terms for RBC
Sickle Cell: irregular form, cannot travel correctly
Spherocyte: non biconcave, travel is harder, less flexible
How is # of RBC balanced
Rate of production = Rate of destruction of RBC = 2x10^6/s
RBC composition
Water
Lipids, proteins, ions
33% Hb
no organelles: no nucleus, no mitochondria
Roles of Enzymes in RBC
Glycolytic Enzymes: generate energy anaerobically (without O2)
Carbonic Anhydrase: CO2 transport
Structure of Hemoglobin
Four Heme chains and a Globin center
How many molecules of O2 can bind to a Hb molecule, and how many Fe2+
4 O2 molecules and 4 Fe2+ ions
Effect of Hb on O2 solubility
O2 alone in plasma has very low solubility : 0.3 ml O2/100 ml plasma
With Hb, solubility is high: 20 ml O2/100 ml blood
Effect of O2 on blood color
Hb saturated with O2 = bright red
O2 leaves Hb = dark red
Why have Hb in RBC instead of dissolved in plasma
Plasma viscosity would increase
Plasma COP would increase
Hb would be lost via kidney (same size as Albumin which is lost through kidneys)
Factors affecting binding/release of O2 to Hb
Temperature
Ionic composition
pH
pCO2
intracellular enzyme concentration
Describe RBC precursor Proliferation
first 3-5 days, erythropoietin acts on Pluripotential hematopoietic stem cells
division and differentiation occur
cells decreases in size
during last 24h cells are Reticulocytes with a nucleus but they lose it.
Hb accumulates in cell
What is erythropoietin
Type of glycoprotein hormone/cytokine responsible for growth of RBC
Produced by Kidney
Released by stimulus from Hypoxia
Factors determining # of RBC
O2 requirements: training requires more RBC to have better O2 intake
O2 Availability: At high altitude, O2 is more scarce, so more RBC to retain more O2