Blood Cells, Blood Coagulation, and Haemophilia Flashcards

1
Q

The blood cells float in the plasma and are divided into three types:

A

Leukocytes - white blood cells or corpuscles
Erythrocytes - red blood cells or corpuscles
Thrombocytes - blood platelets

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2
Q

What are leukocytes?

A

These nucleate cells are part of the body’s defence system, they are capable of amoeboid movement.

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3
Q

There are five types of leucocyte but are ______ in number than the erythrocytes.

A

fewer

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4
Q

Comprise about ________________ in human blood.

A

1% of blood cells = 7,000/ml

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5
Q

Formed in the _____________ after birth, but one type proliferates in lymphoid tissue (see haemopoiesis later)

A

red bone marrow

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6
Q

They are traditionally divided into two groups of cells:

A

the agranulocytes and the granulocytes.

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7
Q

What are lymphocytes, where are they produced, and how are they derived?

A

Smallest of the leucocytes but the second commonest (30%).
Produced in lymphoid tissue of lymph nodes, spleen, thymus, GIT.
Ultimately derived from lymphocytic stem cells in the bone marrow.

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8
Q

What are the two major types of lymphocytes?

A

T-lymphocytes responsible for cellular immunity.
B-lymphocytes responsible for humoral immunity – antibodies.

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9
Q

What are monocytes, what can they do, and where are they found?

A

Largest of the leucocytes and moderately common (5%).
Can phagocytose invading organisms.
They leave the circulation, enlarge and transform in the tissues into macrophages.
Widely distributed in lymph nodes, lung, alveoli, liver, spleen, etc.

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10
Q

True or False: Neutrophils are the commonest leucocyte (62%), with characteristic lobed nucleus.

A

True

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11
Q

What do neutrophils look like?

A

Purplish granules in cytoplasm –lysosomes

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12
Q

In damaged tissue they ________________ and phagocytose damaged cells and invading pathogens.

A

leave the capillaries

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13
Q

The ____ in wounds is largely composed of dead neutrophils.

A

pus

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14
Q

Eosinophils are…

A

The acidiphilic granules are lysosomes.
Weakly phagocytic but increase in parasitic infections.

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15
Q

Basophils are…

A

Rarest of the leucocytes (0.4%), contain basophilic granules.
Function unclear but contain quantities of heparin and histamine.
May have relationship with tissue mast cells involved in allergic reactions.

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16
Q

The red blood corpuscle or erythrocytes, are highly specialised cells. Discuss what a corpuscle is and where they are produced.

A

Corpuscle is any cell floating freely in a liquid.

Produced in the red bone marrow they are round, ‘anucleate bags of haemoglobin’ in mammals; nucleate and oval in other vertebrates.

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17
Q

What is the primary function of an erythrocyte?

A

Their primary function is the transport of O2 to the body tissues and to transport of CO2 away from the tissues.

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18
Q

What are the characteristics of erythrocytes?

A

Characteristic dumb-bell or biconcave shape which gives a large surface to volume ratio for O2 exchange.

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19
Q

Discuss the size of an erythrocyte.

A

Size - in the fresh state 8.5 micrometers in diameter, 2.5 micrometers in thickness.
About 5.2 million/ml in adult males, 4.7 million/ml adult females.

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20
Q

Erythrocytes survive for up to 120 days in the bloodstream before they…

A

are broken down and removed by the liver and spleen (2.5 million/sec)

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21
Q

The product of erythrocyte breakdown called ___________ is eliminated via the bile duct causing the brown coloration of faeces.

A

bilirubin

22
Q

As a result of the daily losses, erythrocytes must be continually replaced by…

A

haemopoiesis

23
Q

What are the early sites of haemopoiesis?

A

The liver, spleen and lymph nodes are early sites of haemopoiesis.

24
Q

Bones develop in the 4th and 5th month of foetal life, haemopoiesis begins in the…

A

red bone marrow cavities.

25
Q

Almost all the blood cells and platelets are produced after birth in the red bone marrow except…

A

lymphocytes which proliferate after birth in lymphoid tissues throughout the body.

26
Q

Red bone marrow is found at the ends of the long bones such as the ____ and in flatter bones such as the ______

A

femur, ribs, sternum and also in areas of the skull and pelvis.

27
Q

All the blood cells derive from a common multipotent stem cell called a…

A

haemocytoblast (or haematopoietic stem cell - HSC).

28
Q

The HSCs replicate at a slow rate giving rise to…

A

5 types of unipotent stem cells which begin to divide rapidly.

29
Q

In the case of the erythrocytes: The first recognisable cell type is called the…

A

proerythroblast

30
Q

Haemopoiesis of the erythrocytes is controlled by the hormone…

A

erythropoietin: EPO which is released by the kidney in response to hypoxia (low O2).

31
Q

The mechanism of its release is not fully understood; but it can be induced by…

A

high altitudes, severe blood loss or anaemia.

32
Q

EPO lasts _____ in the circulation and induces the maximum production of erythrocytes after _____

A

1-2 days, 5-7 days.

33
Q

Thrombocytes or platelets are associated with…

A

blood clotting

34
Q

What is the shape, origin, and life span of a thrombocyte?

A

Anucleate disk-like cell fragments, 2-3 micrometer in diameter.
Originate by budding from giant cells called megakaryocytes in the red bone marrow.
In the bloodstream they have a life span of about 8 days.

35
Q

What is the function of a thrombocyte?

A

thrombocytes are involved in the haemostasis (control of bleeding) via clot formation.

36
Q

Blood clotting is a complex process brought about by two processes known as the…

A

intrinsic and extrinsic pathways.

37
Q

Most clotting is ultimately caused by the plasma protein…

A

fibrinogen

38
Q

The extrinsic pathway begins with

A

trauma or damage to tissues outside the blood vessels.

39
Q

The intrinsic pathway begins in…

A

the blood itself and involves the platelets.

40
Q

A series of plasma proteins (beta globulins) called _________ are activated in a cascade of reactions where the activation of one triggers (catalyses) the activation of the next.

A

blood clotting factors

41
Q

Ultimately, in the presence of Ca2+ ions, both pathways produce the active catalyst…

A

thrombokinase or prothrombin activator.

42
Q

Thrombokinase converts, _______, formed in the liver, to _______.

A

prothrombin, thrombin

43
Q

Thrombin then acts as the enzyme converting…

A

soluble Fibrinogen to insoluble Fibrin.

44
Q

The fibrin attaches to the damaged site and creates a growing matrix of fibrin, platelets and trapped blood cells which is called the…

A

haemostatic plug or blood clot.

45
Q

Extrinsic clot formation can occur after ________, intrinsic takes _______.

A

15 seconds, 1-3 min.

46
Q

The fibrin polymerises into long threads, then contracts after a few minutes and a clear fluid leaks from the clot called…

A

serum

47
Q

Clotting may be inhibited by…

A

Heparin and Removal of free Ca2+

48
Q

Heparin is an…

A

anticoagulant produced by the basophils in the circulation and by the mast cells found in connective tissue especially in the lung and liver.

49
Q

How does the removal of free Ca2+ inhibit clotting?

A

used in blood banks to prevent clotting, by adding sodium citrate or sodium oxalate compounds; this blood can then be stored for weeks in refrigerator.

50
Q

What is haemophilia?

A

Abnormal bleeding; Caused by inherited disorders where the levels of certain protein components of the intrinsic blood clotting cascade are reduced.

51
Q

What are some symptoms of haemophilia?

A

Increased bleeding after trauma, injury, or surgery; sudden bleeding with no apparent cause.

52
Q

There are two types of haemophilia…

A

Haemophilia A: most common, 80% of cases (deficiency in clotting factor VIII)
Haemophilia B: less common, 20% of cases (deficiency in clotting factor IX)