blood histology Flashcards
what is blood specalized as?
What are the cellular elements that are included in blood?
What is plasma composed of?
What are the functions of the blood? what do they transport? what is their function of homeostatic control?what else do they balance and how do they respond to damage?
Blood is a specialized connective tissue consisting of cellular elements and
plasma, which is a fluid.
The cellular elements include red blood cells, white blood
cells and platelets.
Plasma is composed of water, proteins, nitrogenous substances,
electrolytes, nutrients and gases.
The functions of blood are transport- of respiratory
gases, nutrients and metabolic waste, hormones and antibodies-, homeostasis of body
temperature, and osmotic and ionic balance, and coagulation in response to damage to
the vascular endothelium
what comprises the formed elements of blood?
Which type of cell is the most aboundant?
what are RBC’s specalized for?
what shape are RBCs?
how do RBC size compare to the average cell in the body?
what does the biconcave shape allow for in RBCs?
what do mature RBC’s not have?
what do RBCs look like when stained with Giemsa or Wright stains? why do they look like this?
which sex has more RBCs?
Red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets comprise the formed elements of
blood.
Red blood cells (RBCs), also called erythrocytes, are the most numerous cells
of blood.
RBCs are specialized for the transport of oxygen and C02 between the
tissues and lungs in the body.
RBCs are biconcave shaped disks with a diameter of
about 7 m.
(RBCs are much smaller than the average cell in the body which is
around 20 m in diameter).
The biconcave shape of RBCs maximizes their surface
area to mediate gaseous exchange.
Mature RBCs do not contain nuclei or organelles.
When stained with Giemsa or Wright stains, RBCs appear pink in color –this is due to
their large amounts of hemoglobin.
Males have slightly more RBCs than females,
and persons living at high altitudes also have correspondingly higher numbers of
RBCs.
Which protein is aboundant in RBCs?
what is this protein responsible for?
what type of proteins do RBCs contain?
what do the cytoplasmic adaptor proteins connect to?
what are the protein-cytoskeletal complexes responsible for?
what are the different transmembraine proteins found in RBCs? In the membrane vs in the cytoplasm?
how does band 3 protein connect to the cytoskeleton?
RBCs contain several different proteins that reflect their specialized functions.
RBCs contain large amounts of Hemoglobin, responsible for carrying and exchanging
oxygen with C02. RBCs also contain complexes of transmembrane proteins and
cytoplasmic adaptor proteins that link to cytoskeletal filaments.
These protein-
cytoskeletal complexes are responsible for the extreme pliability and resilience
exhibited by RBCs as they squeeze through small diameter capillaries.
The transmembrane proteins found in RBCs include Glycophorins, and Band 3 (an anion
transporter). On their cytoplasmic face, Glycophorins connect to the protein Band 4.1
which connects to the cytoskeleton (spectrin filaments and actin filaments). Band 3
connects to the cytoskeleton through ankyrin proteins.
do WBCs function in the blood stream?
how to WBC reach different tissues?
how do WBC exert their function?
what is the main function of WBCs?
how are WBS divided into 2 groups?
What do both granulocytes and agranulocytes contain?
what else do granulocytes also contain?
how are granulocytes further classified?
what are the 2 types of agranulocytes?
White blood cells or leukocytes are much less numerous than RBCs. Unlike
RBCs, WBCs do not function in the blood stream.
WBCs use the vasculature as a
conduit to reach the tissues of the body.
WBCs will migrate out of the bloodstream
into the tissues to exert their functions.
The main functions of WBCs are to mount a
defensive reaction against foreign substances in the body.
White blood cells are
divided into two groups- Granulocytes and Agranulocytes.
Both Granulocytes and
Agranulocytes also contain nonspecific granules in their cytoplasm (which are
actually lysosomes).
Granulocytes also contain specific granules in their cytoplasm.
Granulocytes are classified into three types based on the staining characteristics of
their specific granules following application of Wright or Giemsa types stains -
Neutrophils, Eosinophils and Basophils.
Agranulocytes are classified into two types-
Lymphocytes and Monocytes.
which type of WBC is the most numerous?
how much do they comprise out of the total WBCs in blood?
what is the diameter of a neutrophil? what is unique about its nucleus?
what are the 3 types of granules?
what do small specific granules contain?
what do tertiary granules contain?
Neutrophils are the most numerous WBC found in the blood. They comprise 60-
70% of the WBCs in the blood. Neutrophils are 9-12 m in diameter (compare to
RBCs) and contain a multilobed nucleus. Neutrophils contain three types of
granules- small specific granules, larger nonspecific secondary granules (lysosomes),
and also tertiary granules. The small specific granules contain enzymes and
pharmacological agents that help Neutrophils phagocytose and destroy bacteria. The
tertiary granules contain membrane and secreted proteins that help Neutrophils
migrate to sites of infection
what % do eosinophils comprise in total WBC content?
what kind of form can WBC take?
what is the diameter of a WBC?
what shape is the nucleus of an eosinophil?
what type of granules do eosinophils have?
what is the function of an eosinophil?
what type of proteins do eosinophils have?
when do eosinophils act?
Eosinophils constitute less than 4% of the WBC population. They are round cells
in the blood and pleiomorphic as they migrate into the blood. Eosinophils are 10-14
µm in diameter, and contain a bilobed nucleus. Esosinophils contain numerous
specific pink-orange staining granules, as well as larger nonspecific granules
(lysosomes). Eosinophils function in destruction of parasitic invaders such as worms.
Eosinophil granules contain major basic protein, eosinophilic cationic protein and
eosinophil-derived neurotoxin. Eosinophils usually act in response to signals released
by other cells such as Mast cells, Neutrophils and Basophils.
how are basophils similar to mast cells and how are they different?
of the total WBC% how much do basophils comprise of?
what shape do basophils have on their nucleus?
what else do basophils have that looks intensely dark?
What are the basophils granules made of?
what do basophils function to initiate?
how else are basophils similar to mast cells?
Basophils are similar to Mast cells in function, but have a different developmental
origin and lineage.
Basophils constitute less than 1% of the WBC population.
They have an S-shaped nucleus which is usually obscured by their intensely dark- staining
specific granules.
Basophil specific granules contain heparin, histamine, hemotactic
factors, and peroxidase (similar in composition to Mast cell granules).
Basophils function as initiators of the inflammatory process and can result in an anaphylactic
response, similar to Mast cells.
Similar to Mast cells, Basophils will bind antigens,
and then release their granules, causing effects such as vasodilation, smooth muscle
contraction, and leakiness of blood vessels
monocytes comprise of how much of the total WBC population?
monocytes are the precursor for what?
where will monocytes migrate to?
how much larger are monocytes in comparision to RBC?
what kind of nucleus do they have and what can they produce?
what do macrophages present on their cell surface?
Monocytes are the largest WBC and constitute 3-8% of the WBC population.
Monocytes are precursor cells for Macrophages. Monocytes will migrate into the
connective tissue and then become Macrophages. Monocytes are twice as large as
RBCs.
They have an acentric indented nucleus and bluish-grey cytoplasm.
Macrophages function in phagocytosis, inflammatory cytokine production, and also
presentation of epitopes to T-lymphocytes
which WBC constitutes for the second largest WBC amount?
lymphocytes can have what shape?
how much larger are lymphocytes in comparision to RBCs?
what is their nucleus like?
what are the 2 types of lymphocytes?
with reoutine histological stains how can T and B cells be distinguished?
how do T and B cells differ?
what are B cells responsible for?
what are T cells responsible for?
Lymphocytes are also Agranulocytes and constitute the second largest population
of WBCs (20-25%). Lymphocytes are round cells in blood, but may be
pleiopmorphic in connective tissue or when activated. Lymphocytes are 1-1.5 X as
large as RBCs, and contain a dark nucleus that usually (but not always) is round and
fills almost the entire cytoplasm of the cell, leaving only a little rim of pale blue-grey
cytoplasm showing. There are two types of lymphocytes T- and B-lymphocytes.
With routine histological stains, T- and B-cells are indistinguishable. However, T-
and B-cells express different cell surface proteins. B-cells are responsible for the
humorally (antibody) mediated immune response while T-cells are responsible for the
cellularly-mediated immune response
what is the composition fo a platelet like?
where are platelets derived from?
where are megakaryocytes found?
what is the size of a platelet?
what are the 2 regions that platelets have?
how do platelets function?
what do pallets contain in aboundance?
what kind of system do platelets have?
Platelets are small non-nucleated cell fragments that derive from cells called
Megakaryocytes found in the bone marrow. Platelets are 2-4 µm in size in the blood.
In theory, platelets display a peripheral clear region (hyalomere) and a central dark
region (granulomere). (Often the hyalomere is not visible.) Platelets function in
coagulation of blood in response to damage to the endothelial lining of blood vessels.
Platelets contain granules with various clotting factors (including thrombospondin,
and thromboplastin). Platelets also have a system of tubules that open up into their
membrane, dramatically increasing their surface area
