Blood Composition

Question 1

What are the two components to blood?

Answer 1

Formed elements

Plasma

Question 2

What is found in the formed elements?

Answer 2

Cells

Platelets

Question 3

What is found in plasma?

Answer 3

Electrolytes
Proteins
Carbohydrates
Lipids

Question 4

What is hematocrit?

Answer 4

The fraction of the total blood sample which is erythrocytes

Question 5

What can cause normal increases in hematocrit?

Answer 5

High alt. long-time exposure
Chronic smoking
Dehydration

Question 6

What can cause normal decreases in hematocrit?

Answer 6

Pregnancy, plasma volume increases faster than RBC mass

Iron/vitamin B12/Folate deficiencies

Question 7

Average fraction for males and females for hematocrit?

Answer 7

39-50% males

35-45% females

Question 8

Major functions of erythrocytes?

Answer 8

Oxygen and CO2 movement

Acid/Base buffer

Question 9

What are the three granulocytes?

Answer 9

Neutrophils
Eosinophils
Basophils

Question 10

What granulocyte is involved in virus/parasitic attacks and allergic reactions?

Answer 10

Eosinophils

Question 11

What do eosinophils secrete to kill parasites and viruses?

Answer 11

Major basic protein

Question 12

What granulocyte is critical in the fight against parasitic worms?

Answer 12

Basophils

Question 13

What do basophils secrete in response to parasitic worms?

Answer 13

Histamine
Heparin
Peroxidases

Question 14

Where do mast cells mature?

Answer 14

Resident like mucosal epithelial tissue of respiratory, genitourinary and digestive tracts

Question 15

What are the lymphocytes?

Answer 15

T lymphocytes
B lymphocytes
Natural killer cells

Question 16

What are the agranulocytes?

Answer 16

Monocytes

Lymphocytes

Question 17

Two roles of monocytes?

Answer 17

Phagocytic

Antigen-presenting cells for Th cell activation

Question 18

What generates platelets?

Answer 18

Megakaryocytes in bone marrow

Question 19

What is and UEC?

Answer 19

Basic metabolic panel

Question 20

What does UEC stand for?

Answer 20

Urea
Electrolyte
Creatinine

Question 21

What electrolytes are tested for in UEC?

Answer 21

Carbon dioxide; HCO3
Serum chloride
Serum potassium
Serum sodium

Question 22

What does electrolyte balance tell you?

Answer 22

Kidney
Liver
Heart function

Question 23

Where is albumin synthesized?

Answer 23

In the liver

Question 24

Functions of albumin?

Answer 24

Prevent edema
Transport hydrophobic and hydrophilic free FAs, hormones, drugs, toxins, etc.
Buffer
Can supply AAs on breakdown

Question 25

What is used for electrophoresis of serum proteins?

Answer 25

Cellulose acetate

Question 26

What does transthyretin (TTR) do?

Answer 26

Transports thyroxine and retinol

Question 27

What is transthyretin?

Answer 27

Prealbumin

Question 28

What is TTRs main function?

Answer 28

Primary carrier of thyroid hormones T3/T4

Question 29

What do T3/T4 do?

Answer 29

Major modulators of basic metabolic rate

Question 30

How can prealbumin levels tell a patient's nutritional state?

Answer 30

Prealbumin (TTR) is the major carrier of T3/T4 which modulate the metabolic rate

Question 31

What activates fibrinogen?

Answer 31

Thrombin

Question 32

What does low free haptoglobulin levels reflect?

Answer 32

Abnormal increase in RBC hemolysis

Question 33

What is the function of haptoglobulin (alpha globulin)?

Answer 33

Binds hemoglobin released from erythrocytes to prevent its oxidation, the complex is removed from circulation by phagocytes in the spleen

Question 34

What is the role of vitamin c in iron absorption?

Answer 34

It catalyzes the change from Fe3+ ferric to Fe2+ ferrous which is more water soluble

Question 35

What forms iron complexes and decreases absorption?

Answer 35

Tannins (tea and wine) | Phytates (bran and seeds)

Question 36

What is the role of ferritin?

Answer 36

Stores and releases iron in a controlled fashion

Question 37

What are Kupffer cells role in iron regulation?

Answer 37

Phagocytosis of aged RBC in liver and releasing iron using ferroportin transporter (FP1)

Question 38

Where is ferroportin transporter FP1 found?

Answer 38

In the duodenal enterocytes and the liver

Question 39

What occurs when iron levels in the blood are too high?

Answer 39

Hepatocytes release the peptide hormone hepcidin which inhibits ferroportin transporters

Question 40

What does high levels of hepcidin cause systemically?

Answer 40

Low intestinal absorption and macrophage trapping of iron causing inflammation

Question 41

What does low levels of hepcidin cause systemically?

Answer 41

High intestinal absorption and macrophage release of iron causing hemochromatosis