Cells of the Blood Flashcards
What percentage of the blood is plasma?
55%
What percentage of the blood is white blood cells and platelets?
<1%
What percentage of the blood is red blood cells?
45%
What percentage of plasma is water?
91.5%
What percentage of plasma is solutes (mainly proteins)?
8.5%
What is the role of plasma?
Acts as a solvent and suspending medium for blood components
What is the average volume of blood in adults?
5 litres
What percentage of blood is formed elements?
45%
Usually >99% of formed elements are red blood cells
What percentage of solutes in plasma are proteins?
7%
Plasma is composed of 1.5% of other solutes. Give examples of what these solutes are.
Electrolytes, nutrients, gases, enzymes and waste products.
7% of the solutes in plasma are proteins. Give examples of what these proteins are.
Albumin, globulins and fibrinogen - these exert colloid osmotic pressure.
Define Haematopoeisis
Haematopoeisis is the process by which formed elements of blood develop
How are blood cells produced?
A pluripotent stem cell commits to one cell line and undergoes many cell divisions leading to clonal expansion
Which cells derive from the common myeloid progenitor?
Megakaryocytes, Erythrocytes, Mast cells, Myeloblasts
Which cells can derive from a myeloblast?
Myeloblasts give rise to white blood cells of the granulocytic series (characterized by granules in the cytoplasm, such as neutrophils, eosinophils, and basophils and monocytes)
What cell can monocytes give rise to?
Macrophages
What cell can megakaryocytes give rise to?
Thrombocytes
What cells can the common lymphoid progenitor give rise to?
Natural killer cells (large granular lymphocyte)
Small lymphocytes
What cells can small lymphocytes give rise to?
B lymphocytes
T lymphocytes
What cells can B lymphocytes give rise to?
Plasma cells
Give another name for red blood cells?
Erythrocytes
How long do erythrocytes last in the body?
120 days (due to wear and tear on plasma membranes from squeezing through capillaries)
How are erythrocytes removed from circulation?
They are removed from circulation by phagocytic macrophages in spleen and liver
What is the rate at which new mature erythrocytes enter the circulation?
2 million erythrocytes per second
How are erythrocytes adapted to their function?
1) They contain haemoglobin, an oxygen carrying protein
2) Biconcave discs, flexible structure
3) No nucleus to maximise space for oxygen transport
What stimulates erythrocyte production?
Erythropoietin (EPO)
What is release in response to hypoxia?
Erythropoietin (EPO)
What organ secretes erythropoietin into the blood?
The kidneys