Blood cells and their immunological & clinical significance - 2

Question 1

Red blood cell disorders

microcytic anaemia

Answer 1

• largely due to iron deficiency - bleeding, malnutrition
• due to hereditary disorders like thalassaemia, sickle cell - lead to reduced Hb production

Question 2

Red blood cell disorders

macrocytic anaemia

Answer 2

• largely due to vitamin deficiency ( folate&B12 ) - malnutrition, alcoholism
• due to rapid cell turn over - RBC rapidly produced as a result of low blood O2

Question 3

Red blood cell disorders

polycythaemia

Answer 3

• primary cause : genetic defects causing bone marrow deformities
• secondary cause : increased O2 demand

Question 4

White blood cell disorders

neutrophilia

Answer 4

• increased numbers
• due to acute infection
• other causes - haemtoligical malignancy, pregnancy

Question 5

White blood cell disorders

neutropenia

Answer 5

• reduced numbers
• causes - malignancy, chemotherapy, aplastic anaemia

Question 6

White blood cell disorders

lymphocytosis

Answer 6

• increased numbers
• non malignant causes - infections, autoimmune conditions
• malignant causes - acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, non hodgkins lymphoma

Question 7

White blood cell disorders

lymphopenia

Answer 7

• reduced numbers
• causes : immunosuppressive therapy, viral infections

Question 8

Haematological malignancies

leukaemia

Answer 8

• expansion of abnormal cells of the myeloid system ( i.e. bone maarow )
• there are 4 types

Question 9

Haematological malignancies

4 types of leukaemia

Answer 9

• acute lymphoblastic - immature, abnormal lymphoplasts
• chronic lymphoblastic - mature, abdnormal lymphoblasts
• acute myelogenous - immature, abnormal phagocytes, RBC, platelets
• chronic myelogenous - mature, abnormal phagocytes, RBC, platelets

Question 10

Haematological malignancies

lymphoma

Answer 10

• expansion of abnormal cells of lymphoid system
• 2 types
• non-hodgkin - involves B cells, T cells, NK cells
• hodgkin - expansion of a type of giant, multi-nucleated B cell ( i.e. Reed Sternberg )

Question 11

Haematological malignancies

myeloma

Answer 11

• neoplasm of differentiated B cells
• malignant clonal proliferation of plasma cells
• neoplastic cells make high levelsof paraproteins with impaired immune function