Chapter 21 Blood cells and the hematopoietic system Flashcards
What is considered in the hematopoietic system?
The bone marrow and all the cells it produces - leukocytes, erythrocytes, thrombocytes.
What is plasma? What is it composed of? Functions?
Extracellular fluid where blood is. Plasma is made primarily of water (91-95%), some proteins, and other materials. Plasma’s three main functions are transportation of materials suspended within it (think about RBC getting around the body to the tissues), aid in the body’s immune defense (globulins), and preventing blood loss (fibrinogens and platelets).
What are the plasma proteins? Describe their properties and functions.
- Albumin - the largest and most prevalent plasma protein. It’s main function is to exert osmotic pressure to maintain blood and fluid in the vascular spaces.
- Globulins - three types. Alpha - bilirubin and steroids. Beta - iron and copper. Gamma - immune.
- Fibrinogen - converted into fibrin to stop bleeding.
Albumin
1. Structure
2. Function
Albumin is a large protein that is found in the blood. It is too large to go elsewhere, so it sticks around exerting osmotic pressure to keep and draw more fluid into the vascular space.
Globulins
1. Structure
2. Function
Globulins are divided into three types. Alpha, beta, and gamma.
Alpha globulins transport bilirubin and steroids around the body.
Beta globulins transport iron and copper around the body.
Gamma globulins play a role in immune defense.
Fibrinogen
1. Structure
2. Function
Fibrinogen is a plasma protein that is converted into fibrin during the clotting process.
What are the three types of blood cells? Where are they made?
The three types of blood cells are erythrocytes, leukocytes, and platelets. All blood cells are made in the bone marrow.
Leukocytes
1. Granulocytes VS Agranulocytes
2. Which is which?
Leukocytes are also known as WBC.
1. They are divided into classes based on if their cytoplasm contains grains or not. Granulocytes are more numerous and are largely involved in innate immunity. Agranulocytes are less numerous and play a larger role in adaptative immunity.
Granulocytes: Neutrophils, basophils, eosinophils
Agranulocytes: lymphocytes, macrophages, monocytes
Neutrophils
Granulocyte leukocyte that is the most numerous WBC in the blood. The body’s first responder and biggest player in responding to bacterial and fungi infections. Active 1-3 days of infection.
Eosinophils
Granulocyte that plays a role in allergic reactions as well as parasitic infections.
Basophils
Granulocyte that contains histamine and heparin. Inflammation contributor.
What is included in the lymphatic system?
WBCs, thymus, spleen, bone marrow, lymph nodes.
Lymphocytes Vs Leukocytes
Lymphocytes are a particular type of leukocyte that develops in the lymphatic system, they are agranulocytes.
Leukocytes is a broader category of WBC that includes granulocytes and agranulocytes. Basophils, eosinophils, neutrophils, monocytes, and lymphocytes fall under this category.
What is transported by RBC? What is another name for RBC?
Hemoglobin and carbon dioxide. Erythrocytes.
What is the life span of erythrocytes? What test is relevant to this? What happens to old erythrocytes?
Erythrocytes live for about 120 days. Hemoglobin A1C, takes a look at the glucose levels attached to RBC which gives an average glucose level during that period of time. Erythrocytes that are old are broken down in the liver, spleen, and bone marrow via phagocytosis.
What are the three main functions of leukocytes?
- Play a large role in the immune system, protecting against microorganisms.
- Fight against cancer cells
- Participate in inflammatory processes and wound healing.
What leukocyte is has the primary role in fighting off invading bacteria and fungi, cell debris, and foreign substances? Most active during the early stages of an infection.
Neutrophils
What are band cells? When are these seen?
Band cells are immature neutrophils. If an infection is ongoing or severe, band cells will be seen more as the body has depleted its stores of mature neutrophils and is now resorting to using immature ones.
What leukocyte plays a large role in fighting allergic reactions, parasitic infections, and chronic immune responses such as asthma? Numbers increase during allergic responses, worm infestations, and asthma.
Eosinophils
How do eosinophils affect inflammation?
Eosinophils release histaminase to inactive histamine. They reduce the severity of inflammatory conditions.
What substances are released from basophils? What do these substances do?
Basophils release heparin (anticoagulant) and histamine (a vasodilator).
What is the main function of the lymphocytes? What are the different types? Describe their basic functions.
Lymphocytes are a type of WBC that hangout in the lymphatic system. Their main function is immune system. B lymphocytes - memory cells. Play a role in the humoral immunity. T lymphocytes - are involved in cell-mediated immunity (T-helper cells and T-cytotoxic cells). NK cells are involved in innate and natural immunity.
What are thrombocyte and their function? What is their life span?
Platelets. Function to create platelet plugs which control bleeding. They last 7-10 days.
Describe the process of hematopoiesis. Where does it occur?
Hematopoiesis is the production of blood cells. It occurs primarily in the bone marrow (medullary) and lymphatic tissue (extramedullary). The majority of cell production occurs in the bone marrow.
In the bone marrow there are three types of cells that play a role in blood forming self-renewing stem-cells, progenitor (parent) cells, and functional mature blood cells.
Where do all blood cells originate from?
All blood cells originate in the medullary area (bone marrow). They arise from pluripotent stem cells. These differentiate into lymphoid stem cells and myeloid stem cells. Lymphoid differentiate into NK, T cell, and B cells. Myeloid stem cells differentiate into monocyte, granulocyte, platelets, and erythrocytes.
Pancytopenia
Reduction in the number of all blood cell types
Aplastic anemia
Dysfunction of the multipotent stem cell system results in failure of cells to grow and differentiate.
Thrombocytopenia
Low platelet levels
Erythrocyte sedimentation rate
ESR - used to detect inflammation. RBCs aggregate and and fall to the bottom of the sample. An increased sedimentation rate means increased inflammation. The rate of sedimentation is increased by the presence of fibrinogen and other plasma proteins.
Polycythemia
Abnormally high number of RBCs
