Cell Histology

Question 1

what are the 3 broad types of blood cells and their functions

Answer 1

Red blood cells - transport O2
White blood cells - fight infection
Platelets- prevent bleeding

Question 2

what is haemopoeisis

Answer 2

production of blood cells

Question 3

what are blood cells derived from

Answer 3

pluripotent stem cells

Question 4

sites of haemopoeisis in the embryo

Answer 4

Yolk sac, then liver then bone marrow

3rd-7th month gestation- spleen

Question 5

sites of haemopoeisis at birth

Answer 5

mostly bone marrow

liver and spleen when needed

Question 6

sites of haemopoeisis in an adult

Answer 6

bone marrow of skull, ribs, sternum, pelvis, proximal ends of femur

Question 7

Describe the divisions to mature cells in the haemopoietic tree

Answer 7

Stem cells – multipoint progenitors – oligolineage progenitors – mature cells

Question 8

Name the 2 oligolineage progenitors

Answer 8

CMP- common myeloid progenitor

CLP- common lymphocyte progenitor

Question 9

what does CMP stand for? what is it?

Answer 9

Common myeloid progenitor

it is an oligolineage progenitor in the haemopoietic tree

Question 10

what does CLP stand for? what is it?

Answer 10

Common lymphocyte progenitor

It is an oligolineage progenitor in the haemopoietic tree

Question 11

what is the progression of precursor to mature cell for neutrophils

Answer 11

myeloblast to premyelocyte to myelocyte through metamyelocute forms eventually to neutrophils

Question 12

what is erythropoiesis

Answer 12

red blood cell production

Question 13

what is the progression of precursor to mature cell for RBCs

Answer 13

1. pronormoblast
2. basophilic/early normoblast
3. polychromatophilic/intermediate normoblast
4. orthochromatic/late normoblast
5. reticulocyte
6. mature red cell/erythrocyte

Question 14

what happens during the different stages of erythropoiesis

Answer 14

size drops as cells mature
once they have Hb in the cell they begin carrying oxygen
reticulocyte are the first cell to be seen in the blood stream
Previous cell types are only found in the bone marrow

Question 15

what cell in the blood stream can show how active the bone marrow is

Answer 15

the number of reticulocytes

Question 16

what key step occurs between the orthochromatic and reticulocyte stage

Answer 16

loss of nucleus and RNA

Question 17

how does a reticulocyte and a RBC differ in appearance

Answer 17

reticulocyte stains slightly blue due to left over RNA still present

Question 18

what is the precursor for platelets

Answer 18

megakaryocyte

Question 19

what are the different types of white blood cells

Answer 19

granulocytes
monocytes – become macrophage
lymphocytes – T + B cells

Question 20

why are granulocytes named the way they are

Answer 20

Contain granules

Named according to their uptake on stains

Question 21

name the 3 types of granulocytes

Answer 21

eosinophils (red)
basophils (blue-black)
Neutrophils (don’t take up a colour- neutral)

Question 22

structure of neutrophils

Answer 22

Segmented nucleus (polymorph)

Question 23

function of neutrophils

Answer 23

phagocytose invaders
Kill with granule contents + die in the process
Attract other cells

Question 24

what increases the number of neutrophils in the blood

Answer 24

Body stress- e.g. infection, trauma, infarction

Question 25

structure of eosinophils

Answer 25

Usually bi-lobed

Red granules

Question 26

function of eosinophils

Answer 26

fight parasitic infections
Involved in hypersensitivity
Elevated in patients with allergic conditions

Question 27

structure of basophils

Answer 27

large deep purple granules obscuring nucleus

Question 28

functions of basophils

Answer 28

circulating version of mast cell
mediates hypersensitivity reactions
Fc receptors bind IgE
Granules contain histamine

Question 29

what are monocytes the precursors of

Answer 29

macrophages

Question 30

structure of monocytes

Answer 30

large single nucleus

Question 31

function of monocytes

Answer 31

Circulate for a week and enter tissues to become macrophage- phagocytose invaders
Attract other cells
More long lived than neutrophils

Question 32

structure of lymphocytes

Answer 32

Mature: small with condensed nucleus and rim of cytoplasm Atypical: large with plentiful blue cytoplasm

Question 33

what investigations can be done to assess the primitive precursors

Answer 33

Immunophenotyping- expression profile of proteins (antigens) on the surface of cells
Bio-assays- culture in vitro and show lineage of progrency in different growth conditions

Question 34

common site of bone marrow biopsies as it is quite active

Answer 34

Posterior iliac crests

Question 35

causes of neutrophilia

Answer 35

bacterial infection/inflammation

Question 36

causes of lymphocytosis

Answer 36

viral infection
pertussis
childhood response to infection

Question 37

what does the presence of immature neutrophils (myelocytes) in the blood indicate

Answer 37

stress/damage to the marrow

Question 38

what can cause a basophilia

Answer 38

chronic myeloid leukaemia

polycythaemia rubra vera

Question 39

what can cause an eosinophilia

Answer 39

allergy
asthma 
parasitic infection
hodgkin lymphoma
eosinophilic pneumonia

Question 40

what is a marker of mast cell degranulation/excess mast cell numbers

Answer 40

tryptase

Question 41

what is malignant proliferation of mast cells called

Answer 41

systemic mastocytosis

Question 42

what can cause a monocytosis

Answer 42

malignancy
chronic bacterial infections
connective tissue disease

Question 43

what may be seen in smokers

Answer 43

mild neutrophilia

Question 44

what causes infective mononucleosis

Answer 44

EBV