Cardiovascular Blood

Question 1

What is blood?

Answer 1

*Blood is a connective tissue
*Distributes and removes oxygen, carbon dioxide, nutrients, wastes, hormones, etc.
*Regulates body temperature
*Prevents infection

Question 2

What are Formed Elements?

Answer 2

Formed elements (cellular components)
* Erythrocytes (red blood cells)
* Leukocytes (white blood cells)
* Platelets

Question 3

What is the buffy coat?

Answer 3

• Leukocytes (white blood cells)
• Platelets

Question 4

What is plasma?

Answer 4

Plasma is the CT’s extracellular matrix
* Makes up ~55% blood volume
* Mostly water
* Contains dissolved solutes
- Wastes
- Nutrients
- Ions
- Hormones
* Proteins are also found in plasma
- Albumin (binds solutes)
- Fibrinogen (clotting)

Question 5

What is the Development of Blood Cells?

Answer 5

*Blood cells are derived from a
common ancestor
*Blood cell formation occurs in red
bone marrow
*3 main classes
- Erythrocytes
- Leukocytes
- Platelets

Question 6

What are the components of Erythrocytes?

Answer 6

Erythrocytes
*Anucleate and no organelles (when mature)
- Do not live long (3-4 month lifespan)
*Anaerobic
- Uses glycolysis for energy
*FULL of hemoglobin
- Binds with gases, particularly oxygen
*Biconcave
- Large surface area (facilitates diffusion of gas)

Question 7

What is Erythropoiesis?

Answer 7

• Production of RBCs from stem cells in red bone
  marrow
• Iron (Fe) needed to produce new cells (for hemoglobin)
• Iron comes from diet and/or is recycled from old RBCs

Question 8

What is Anemia?

Answer 8

There are many types of anemia, but commonly
there is low oxygen-carrying capacity
* Iron-deficiency:
- Not enough iron, hemoglobin is not made
- Results in lower oxygen delivery to tissues
- Fatigue

Question 9

What is sickle cell disease?

Answer 9

*Hemoglobin molecule is off by one amino acid
(genetics)
- Abnormal hemoglobin can crystallize
– Under low O2 or with dehydration
- Causes sickling of RBC
*When RBCs sickle,
- Often block blood flow through vessels
- Are fragile
- Only survive 10-20 days
- Cause severe pain, even stroke

Question 10

What does sickle cell disease help with?

Answer 10

*Surprisingly, the abnormal cytoskeleton of the “abnormal” RBCs diminish chances of dying from malaria parasite
- Pathway used by parasite is disrupted

Question 11

What are Leukocytes?

Answer 11

• White blood cells
• Complete cells (have nucleus and organelles)
• Are able to move through capillary walls through process of diapedesis
• Are involved with immune response
• Increase in number with infection

Question 12

What are Platelets?

Answer 12

*Cell fragments
*Important in blood clotting

Question 13

What are ABO Blood Groups?

Answer 13

Groups based on differing glycoproteins found on cell membranes called:
- Antigens→ A, B and Rh
- Type A→A antigens only
- Type B→B antigens only
- Type AB →body A & B antigens
- Type O →neither A or B

Question 14

What are antibodies?

Answer 14

*Your body produces antibodies to proteins (antigens) that are foreign
- NOTE: antibodies for ABO blood type would only be produced upon exposure to the foreign antigen