Cardiovascular Flashcards
What are the two components of blood and their proportions?
Plasma component- 55%
Cellular component- 45%
What is the plasma component made of?
Water (91%)
Proteins (8%)
Other (nutrients, hormones, electrolytes) (1%)
What is in the cellular component of blood?
Leukocytes, and platelets (1%)
Erythrocytes (99%)
Which proteins are in the plasma component of blood?
Albumin/carrier proteins, coagulation factors, and immunoglobulins (antibodies)
How many litres of blood do we have in our body?
5 litres
What does Haematocrit mean?
Percentage of RBC in the cellular component of blood
What is a normal Haematocrit?
45%
Where are Albumin, most carrier protein and coagulation factors made?
Liver
Where are Immunoglobulins made? (antibodies)
Made by plasma cells
What are Leukocytes and name the types? (never eat brown monkey lungs)
Cells involved in body’s immune system
Neutrophils, Eosinophils, Basophils, Monocytes, Lymphocytes
What is Haemopoesis?
The formation of blood cells and platelets, which continues throughout life
Where does Haemopoesis occur in adults?
Bone marrow of the axial skeleton
Where does Haemopoesis occur in children?
Bone marrow of all bones
Where does Haemopoesis occur in foetus?
Yolk sac, then Liver and spleen
What is the lifespan of a RBC?
120 days
What are the most primative cells?
Stem cells
Feature of a stem cell?
Pluripotent- can differentiate into RBC, white blood cell and platelets
Platelet lifetime?
7-10 days
White blood cell lifetime
6 hours
Features of RBC?
Anucleate, biconcave disc, contain Haemoglobin (and a membrane to enclose it) and enzymes of glycolysis
What is the HORMONAL GROWTH FACTOR that stimulates precursor stem cells to proliferate and differentiate into RBC and where is it made? (Erythropoesis)
Erythropoetin, hormone made in kidney and liver
What happens if precursor cells are found in blood?
Not normal, sign of Leukaemia
What is the HORMONAL GROWTH FACTOR that stimulates precursor stem cells to proliferate and differentiate into WBC? (Myelopoesis)
G-CSF (granulocyte colony stimulating factor)
What is the HORMONAL GROWTH FACTOR that stimulates precursor stem cells to proliferate and differentiate into platelets and where is it produced? (Thrombopoesis)
Tpo (Thrombopoetin)
Liver and kidneys
What is a Reticulocyte?
An immature RBC, not usually found in blood
Why does Haemoglobin need to be closed off in a membrane?
Haemoglobin would clog up kidneys
Features of Platelets?
Anucleate, discoid, which becomes spiculated with pseudopodia once activated
What is the function of a platelet?
To create a clot by forming a platelet plug
Where are platelets derived from?
Megakaryocytes in bone marrow
What are the two types of granules in platelets?
Alpha and dense
What do Alpha platelets contain?
Coagulation factors, fibrinogen and other clotting mediators
What do Dense platelets contain?
ADP, and platelet activation mediators
Why do RBC have such a short lifespan?
Subject to mechanical stress as they flow through vessels
They are simple cells
With no nucleus and have no mitochondria so cannot repair themselves
What happens to the oxygen disassociation curve when PH is decreased or when temperature is increased?
Shift to the right
What happens to the oxygen disassociation curve when PH is increased or when temperature is decreased?
Shift to left
What is the role of Haemoglobin?
Carry oxygen from lungs to tissues, where it transfers oxygen to myoglobin in muscles
What is the Quaternary structure of haemoglobin?
2 alpha chains, 2 beta chain, 4 haem groups (Porphyrin with a central ferrous iron ion- Fe2+ which can reversibly bind with oxygen)
What is Anaemia?
Reduction in Haemoglobin in blood
What is a normal Haemoglobin level?
12.5-15.5 g/dl
What is Polycthaemeia and causes?
High concentration of RBC in blood, so blood is thicker and less able to travel through organs.
Symptoms of Anaemia
Tiredness, lethargy, reduced exercise tolerance, shortness of breath on exertion and angina
Signs of Anaemia
Palor, pale mucous membranes and pink hands, sore tongue, cracking at corners of mouth, spoon shaped nails
Causes of Anaemia?
- Acute blood loss
- Production mismatch
- Increased removal of RBC
- Deficiencies in iron, folate or vitamin b12
What causes iron deficiency Anaemia?
- Occult Gastrointestinal bleeding
- Menorrhagia (heavy periods)- in premenopausal women only or those who have repeated childbirths
- Diet- not getting enough iron in diet
What causes B12 deficiency anaemia?
- IF stomach is damaged, less parietal cells, less intrinsic factor so B12 less absorbed
- Autoimmune disease called Pernicious Anaemia, create antibodies against Parietal cells so less intrinsic factor produced, so B12 malabsorbtiion.
What causes Folate deficiency Anaemia?
- Malabsoption due to celiac disease
- Dietary- don’t eat enough fruit or vegetables (where folate is found)
- Increased need, e.g. due to haemolysis or anything that results in increased cells division
What is Macrocytic anaemia?
MCV (mean cell Volume of RBC) is more than 100 fl
How can macrocytosis occur without Anaemia?
Raised MCV (mean cell volume), but normal haemoglobin levels due to liver disease, alcohol or hypothyroidism
How is Red cell size measured?
MCV (mean cell volume) normal= 82-96 fl
What are vitmin b12 and folate needed for?
For DNA synthesis, so with a deficiency RBC cannot be made in bone marrow and less are released.
deficiency will affect all dividing cells, but bone marrow most active so is affected first
What is Haemolysis?
Normal/increased cell production but decreased lifespan <30 days
Two types of haemolysis?
Congenital (present from birth)
Acquired
Describe some types of Congenital haemolysis?
- Membrane issues. e.g. spherocytosis- blood cells are spherical, but they get stuck in vessels easily (less flexible and broken down faster)
- Haemoglobin issues- e.g. sickle cell (defect in beta globin chain, sickle shaped, get trapped, broken down faster
Describe some types of Acquired Haemolysis?
- Autoimmune- immune system attacks own RBC (e.e.g triggered due to blood transfusion)
- Mechanical- Fragmentation of RBC due to mechanical heart valve
- Pregnancy- Haemolytic disease of foetus and newborn (Rhesus)
Describe what is Rhesus disease?
- Mother has Rhesus negative blood and baby has rhesus positive blood.
- Mothers immune system, recognises foreign Rhesus positive blood, and produces antibodies.
- Baby might not be affected as it takes time for antibodies to be produced.
- But if mother has second baby with rhesus positive blood antibodies produced immediately (cross to baby via placenta) and begins destroying babies RBC.
- Causing Anaemia and Jaundice
What is the most numerous white cell?
Neutrophils
What do Neutrophils do?
Phagocytose and kill bacteria.
Release chemotaxins and cytokines?
What do Chemotaxins do in Neutrophils?
Signal more WBC to come to sight
What do Cytokines do in Neutrophils?
Important in inflammatory response
What happens if there is a lack in number or function of Neutrophils?
Recurrent bacterial infections
What are the two types of lymphocytes?
B & T lymphocytes
What do B lymphocytes do?
Differentiate into plasma cells, and produce immunoglobulins when stimulated by exposure of foreign antigen
Where do B lymphocytes mature?
In bone marrow
What do T lymphocytes do?
Some are helper T cells (CD4), responsible for cell mediated immunity, some are cytotoxic cells (CD8)
What is Acute Leukemia?
Prolifration of primative precursor cells, without differentiation.
Results in anaemia, thrombocytopenia (excessive bleeding), and nautropenia (infections as white cells aren’t being differentiated)
What is Prothrombin time?
Bleeding time
What is Thrombocytopenia?
Reduced numbers of platelets.
What is Thrombocytosis?
High number of platelets.
Can lead to arterial and venous thrombosis, leading to an increased risk of heart attack and stroke
Which coagulation factors needs vitamin K for correct synthesis?
1972
10,9,7,2
What do coagulation factors do?
Circulate in inactive form, need to activate to form thrombin which converts soluble fibrinogen into insoluble fibrin polymer, to make blood clot
Which protein in the blood maintains oncotic pressure, carries FA, steroids and thyroid hormones?
Albumin, most numerous protein in plasma
What do carrier proteins carry?
Nutrients, hormones
What are Immunoglobulins?
Antibodies produced by plasma cells (differentiated B cells)
What is Haemostasis?
Arrest of bleeding, blood coagulation and contraction of damaged blood vessels
How is blood fluid, inside blood vessels?
Proteins of coagulation cascade and platelets circulate in an inactive state.
They’re activated by tissue factor which is present on every cell apart from endothelial cell
What is the coagulation cascade?
Coagulation factors circulation inactive, are activated by tissure factor in cascade sequence, in order to generate key enzyme thrombin which converts fibrinogen into fibrin
In the coagulation cascade, there are multiple complex steps, what do these allow for?
Allow for biological amplification and regulation.
Can be graduated in response to severity of challenge
What do Platelets do?
Responsible for primary haemostasis, bleeding time, adhere to damaged endothelium and aggregate to form platelet plug that blocks hole in vessel
What is Haemophilia?
Recessive X linked disorder
Severe bleeding disorder into muscles and joints.
Not enough clotting factors in blood= slow clotting time, long Prothrombin time.
Only affects males, females are carries
What is Von Willebrands disease?
Lack of VWF, which is needed for platelets to bind to damaged blood vessels.
Mild bleeding disorder.
muco-cutaneous bleeding
Autosomal dominant inheritance.
Why does liver disease affect prothrombin time?
Site of synthesis of coagulation factors and fibrinogen
What do Heparin and Warfarin do?
Oral anticoagulant
Inhibit Vitamin K, affecting coagulation cascade
What causes Polycthemia?
Caused by:
- smoking, lung disease, inefficient lungs so less 02 is exchanged so more Haemoglobin is required.
- RBC count is normal, but plasma fluid is reduced due to overweight, smoking, drinking, diuretics
- change to JAK2 gene which causes bone marrow cells to produce too many RBC
Why is iron needed in blood?
To produce haemoglobin
Which coagulation factor deficiency causes Haemophilia A and B?
A= deficiency in CF 8 B= deficiency in CF9
What are the types of Immunoglobulins
IgG- most important IgM- all start off as this) IgA IgE final two- produced in response to non-self protein antigens
How is vitamin B12 absorbed into the body?
To be absorbed in the terminal ileum, B12 must bind to intrinsic factor produced in gastric parietal cells in stomach.
How many blood groups are there, and what are they?
4
A, B, AB, O
Which antibodies and antigens do type A individuals have?
A antigen on RBC surface
Anti-B antibodies in plasma
Which antibodies do type B individuals have?
B antigen on RBC surface
Anti- A antibodies in plasma
Which antibodies and antigens do type AB individuals have?
Both A and B antigens
Neither anti- A or B antibodies
UNIVERSAL RECIPIENT
Which antibodies and antigens do Type O individuals have, and what is the benefit?
No A or B antigens on surface of RBC
Both, Anti-A and Anti- B antibodies in plasma
UNIVERSAL DONOR, so can give to someone in emergency
What happens if someone with Type A blood was transfused with Type B blood?
Anti B antibodies in the recipients blood would attack the transfused blood.
Anti A antibodies in donor blood would attack recipients blood, but little consequence as it becomes diluted in plasma so ineffective
What does Rhesus positive mean?
D antigen is present (and vice versa for Rhesus negative)