Blood & Immune

Question 1

What percentage of body weight is blood?

Answer 1

8%

Question 2

In whole blood what percentage is blood plasma and what is formed elements?

Answer 2

Blood plasma 55%

Formed elements 45%

Question 3

What are the three main components (and at relative percentages) of blood plasma?

Answer 3

Water 91.5%
Proteins 7%
Other solutes 1.5%

Question 4

Name the three main proteins in blood plasma and their relative percentages.

Answer 4

Albumin 54%
Globulins 38%
Fibrinogin 7%
Other 1%

Question 5

What are the ‘other solutes’ in blood plasma?

Answer 5

Electrolytes
Nutrients
Gases
Regulatory substances
Waste products

Question 6

Of the formed elements in blood what are the approximate percentage of the three cell types and cell counts

Answer 6

Platelets ~1% 150 000-400 000

White blood cells

Question 7

Of the white blood cells name the five categories and their relative percentages in the make up of total WBCs

Answer 7

Neutrophils 60-70%
Lymphocytes 20-25%
Monocytes 3-8%
Eosinophils 2-4%
Basophils 0.5-1.0%

Question 8

What is the diameter of the RBC and how many haemoglobin molecules are in each?

Answer 8

8 micrometers

280 million! Each Heamoglobin can bind 4 O2 molecules so each RBC carries around 1 billion O2 molecules!

Question 9

1 atomic bond is ~1 Angstrom long how many Angstroms in a millimetre?

Answer 9

10 000 000

Question 10

Heamoglobin is the major protein in blood; what concentration is it present?
What is the concentration in RBC?

Answer 10

150mg/ml

350 mg/ml

Question 11

Structure of haemoglobin

Answer 11

Alpha helical
4 chains called alpha and beta (2 of each, arbitrary terminology)
Each chain hold a haem group which carries an oxygen molecule

Question 12

Name the functions and overall concentration of albumin

Answer 12

35mg/ml

Functions as a carrier to insoluble smaller molecules e.g. lipids and hormones. Also useful as a drug carrier

Question 13

Function of immunoglobulin molecules

Answer 13

Bind to antigens rendering them inactive
Alert other parts of the immune system of the antigen
Mark pathogens for destruction.

Question 14

Where are immunoglobulins (i.e antibodies) produced?

Answer 14

By B-Lymphocytes or B- cells

Question 15

Draw structure of immunoglobulin including six labels

Answer 15

Y shaped with four strands, variable regions at each Y tip. Constant region on all four lower strands, disulfide bridge holding Y together. Antigen binding site at variable regions. Middle stands are heavy chains outer strands are light chains

Question 16

Where are monocytes produced?

Answer 16

In red bone marrow

Question 17

Function of monocytes

Answer 17

Monocytes are precursors to macrophages which are first responders of the immune system.
They recognise common antigens ingest and destroy them through phagocytosis.
They carry bacterial antigens back to lymph nodes where once they are identified by a specific T cell the T cell is stimulated to divide and form clone (T cell clonal expansion).
Larger number of specific T cells helps with greater recognition of antigens.

Question 18

B lymphocytes (B cells)
Functions

Answer 18

Bacteria specific B cells engulf bacteria and present bacterial peptide antigens.
They circulate lymph and hope to find the right specific T helper cell which triggers the B cell to differentiate and divide forming an activated B cell clone which produces antibodies.

Question 19

T lymphocytes (T cells)
functions

Answer 19

T cells can be T helper cells or T killer cells (killer cells).
T helper cells initiate B cells to produce antibodies and also stimulate the production of monocytes. Also activate killer T cells.
T killer cells involved in cell-mediated response. They kill infected or damaged cells
Made in thymus gland

Question 20

When was HIV first identified

Answer 20

1979

Question 21

How many ppl are infected with HIV globally

Answer 21

> 40 million

Question 22

When do symptoms occur following HIV infection

Answer 22

5-10 years (lentivirus slow)

Question 23

When was the first antibody test approved and thus donated blood able to be screened for HIV?

Answer 23

1985

Question 24

When was HAART (highly active antriretroviral treatment) first discussed

Answer 24

1995

Question 25

Stages of HIV infection

Answer 25

1) GP120, viral membrane protein, binds with CD4 protein on T helper cells and macrophages
2) GP41, another viral membrane protein, pierces CD4+ cell membrane
4) fusion of the cell membranes occurs the viral membranes (capsid and matrix) are disintegrated and the viral enzymes and RNA is released into infected cell
5) Reverse transcriptase uses hots cell nucleotides and converts viral RNA to DNA
6) Intergrase (viral enzyme) carries the DNA into host cell nucleous and inserts it into host chromosome
7) Normal gene expression in cell occurs allowing for multiplication of the virus. Protienase another viral enzyme works here to cleave protiens allowing for proteolysis allowing the virus 9 genes to code for 15 proteins

Question 26

How many days after the initial infection do you get a full immune response with specific antibodies?

Answer 26

7-14